Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1904-10-13
Saint Maru's Beacon
Preventing Fan Colds.


they have to have at least one heavy
cold every Fall. They accept the
idea as they accept unpleasant
November winds. or slippery pave
ments or cold rooms. Especially
Americans seem 70 be fatalists about
taking colds.
And IL is really aperfectiy absurd
attitude of Enind. One mightas well
say, "Oh the pipes have to burst
with the first FROST" or 81 must
have my hands frosted every win
ter, or II must be uncomfortable
because there is a change of sea-
son."
A cold is just as abnormal as
headache or toothache, and is a con-
dit;an to be prevented rather than
remedie6.
Il don't see how It's sc:z ss - &c &c
prevented, the person with the
annual cold will answer. Good
ness knows bundle up enough.
OF course he does, and that is one
Of the troubles. In fact, there are
two sure ways ofgettinga Fall cold;
one is bundling mp the shoulders
and throat so that they are moist
with perspiration and sensitive to
every breath OF air, and the other is
to forget that cold bath is as much
OF luxury in winter as in summer,
and much more important to good
health in cold weather.
It stands TO reason that the re-
turn OF winter will bring draughts
and cold winds and uneven tempera-
ture, and there are naturally ways
provided for meeting these difficult
ties. IL ones circulation is stimula-
ted, If one has plenty OF fresh air
and il clothes are at once warm and
light it is possible TO entirely avoid
colds, unless there is catarrhal or
tubercular weakness.
First there is the important task
Of stimulating the circulation, which
can be done by cold baths, proper
breathing and exercise, especially
tramping. The cold bath is the
beginning of good health in frosty
weather. Ii should be, of necessity
taken in warm room. II the bath
room or bedroom is not heated then
use small gas or oil stove that will
heat small room in five minutes.
Fill a tub half full of distinctly
cold water, very cold indeed when
you get used to the shock, and il
you have sufficient reaction. step at
once in the tub, kneel, dash the wa
ter about the throat and chest, and
the waist, then stand, quickly
splash over the hips and legs.
Dry quickly with a crash towel
and rub with alcohol.
To insure the water quickly open
ing the pores, and starting the cir
culation, it must be soft. The best
method of softening any water is
by using little pure borax, 4 tea
spoonfuls to half tub OF water. The
borax water will not only render
water more cleaning, but actually
contained properties that are stimu-
lating to the skin, and so, beneficial
to the circulation.
II there is no tub in the house,
there the cold bath must be asponge.
Add one teaspoonful of borax to a
pail OF cold water, rub dry as the
bath progresses and use the alcohol
over chest and throat.
Where the cold plunge is found
little too severe at the start, it is
good to begin by standing at the
edge of the tub, splashing the water
over the neck and arms, drying the
upper part OF the body and then to
plunge in one leg at the time. This
will prevent chill, and insure no.
thing but benefit from bath.
1t is an excellent plan to do breath
ing exercises while the bathroom
is heating and the tub filing. Throw
a WOODEN bath gown around you,
stand erect near an open window,
hold the chest high, the spine
straight, the hips back, and draw
in long slow breaths through the
nose and exhale Inc air as slowly as
possible trough the mouth.
Five minutes of breathing in this
pure air will freshen the lungs,
start the blood moving briskly
through the veins, and thoroughly
prepare one to face a cold plunge
without a shudder. and tn Oat fall