The Saint Paul globe., 1899-02-19

tantS the strangers cold" On the arrival Of
the first steamer every summer all the island
folk fall victims; afterwards many of them
escape. The attack lasts eight or ten days,
and is often accompanied by bronchial ca
tarrh. The inhabitants affirm that if the ship
cones from Liverpool or Glasgow the cold
they catch is mole severe than if it comes
from the Hebrides.
Ali these instances, and there are many
such, go to show that cold is an infectious
disease, prevalent widely no doubt but only
where man, perhaps only where civilized
man. exists Also that in some favored spots,
as in st. kilda, the disease, when it has been
introduced rapidly becomes extinct This
is known to be the case on sailing vessels
during long voyage, and it is one of the
reasons why such a voyage is often benetic-
ial to patients suffering from consumption
who are so sadly liable after any catarrhal
attack, to lose the ground they have been
slowly gaining. 1t would seem, too that the
infe ction is generally carried by human
agency; and it is noteworthy that some, at
least' OF every ships crew or passengers
must take it with them when they go abroad
for apparently every ship which reaches st.
ki:da brings the cold Probably those who
nave anything wrong with them the dis
ease pelhg, as II were, latent 1t would seem.
too that practically all human beings, ire
spect1Ve Of age, or sex, or even when in
good health, are highly susceptible to colds,
II they have been for some time free from
them and so have lost immunity.
Additional evidence that colds are infec-
ticus is furnished by what we observe among
our domestic animals. Cats seem to be spe-
cially susceptible. Probably they often bring
home from their nocturnal rambles those
mysterious catarrhal attacks which so rapid
ly run through the house. 1t is an old say
ing, The cat is sneezing, we shall all have
colos. Sheep, too, are liable; a whole flock
may suffer, and may show that curious erup-
ton round the lips (herpeS labialiS) which we
all know only too well as one of the most un-
pleasant accompaniments of a bad cold in
the head. On the Australian sheep runs
when the shearing season come round, the
men who congreSate at the sheds are fire.
Giently Smltten with an illness of a ca
tarrhal nature, which rapidly takes hold of
then, ana often affects some ninety per cent.
Sen etimeS it becomes very serious, and may
even develop into a fatal pneumonia To all
appearance 1t is caught from the sheep.
Hcrses, too, are very subject to nasal ca
tarrh, and it is a widely prevalent belief
among coachmen that II horse goes into IL
frtsl%Stable, and especially ii a horse Whicn
other horses, it will be most likely to develop
d cold. So, too it is noticed, will horses
pCught at fair, and this is popularity attrib-
uted to the ufaugntS to which they have
been exposed AS 1t is admitted however
that any other horses which may have been
IN the stable generally catch this cold from
the newcomer, surely 1t is more reasonable to
SUPPOSE that the latter has in like manner
/ ecelVed the infection from some OF its neign..
bors While on sale. medical friend OF the
writer fately made an Interesting experiment.
lie mas two horses, and has been in the habit
OF turning one out for the summer months
When he brought it in again for the winter It
used invariably to develop a severe cou
Coachmen will tell you that this is due to the
unaccustomed warmth of the stable, whlcn
makes the animal "resh" Last year. how
ever, before bringing in mis- horse the doctor
mad his stable thoroughly disinfected and
lime washed, and put other horse into IL
Ihe one winch came in from grass then re-
NAMED perfectly free from any symptoms CT
| catarrh.
| All this evidence seems TO force us to the
conclusion that cold is specific infectious
olsease' ana that without the possibility OF
infection it is Impossible to eaten it. That is
10 say that IT, is due to micro organism and
That without the presence of this mlcro-or-
sanlsm the disease cannot be contracted, be
the exposure what it may. What is the bear
ing OF TINS pehe1! Is 1t OF any Importance to
Us, II true 1t be, to recognize it's truth? Con-
tfast 1t for a moment with the commonly ac-
lcepted theory, which may be roughly stated
as follows: First, that the greater number
of illnesses begin with cold. This is more
OF less correct. Second that all colds must
necessarily be due to exposure of some kind
to draughts damp, cold or wet though this
exposure may be SO slight that the sufferers
arr often quite unconscious OF it, sand saw:
Il am sure don't know how l have taken
cold. The practical result of this theroy is
that, In their fear of these unrecogniZed ex-
posures people are apt to take more and
more of themselVeS-in other words 10
coddle more and more.
This treatment tends to make them more
and more delicate; less and less able to with
stand exposure; more and more sensitive 10
the depressing effects of cold; less and less
capable of reacting healthily against it; ana,
what is far worse, more and more afraid
OF fresh air and good ventilation Qn the
back blocks Of Australia the writer has acru-
ally known monthly nurse, strong in the
consciousness OF unquestioned wisdom and
armed by the authority OF tablished Gus
tom, even when the thermometer stood at 90