The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-04-29
Home Health
/ Club
By DAVID n. REEDER. Phi. D.. Nd.
La Porte, Ind.
cIIRE OF COLDS

| cold really is. IN MS paper i Will give
the management of colds, and will start
out with ONE general facts which
| should be observed in all cases. When
you realize that you have caught cold do
room that is too warm. 1t is a common
mistake to seek as warm a spot as can be
found and strive to heat the surface be-
| yond endurance. The effect is precisely
the same as the well-known results of
| putting frozen or very cold feet in front
of a hot fire to roast them" When you
come out of the cold with the conscious
ness of being thoroughly chilled enter a
room that is comfortably warm, at a
temperature of about 6S or 20 degrees. If
such a temperature does not overcome
the chilliness, don't stir up the fire and
overhead the room. If you do you will
almost certainly resolve a slight cold
into a severe one. | will mention below
what to do in case chilliness cannot be
overcome by ordinary warmth of a
room. In all cases avoid sitting in a
draught af air, even a warm draught;
but be sure that the room is we'll venti-
lated, for bad air will only aggravate a
cold. This is a more important matter
for consideration than is at first thought
apparent. Where the lungs are cOngest-
ed and inlamed and the circulation dis
turbed, the air that enters the lungs to
purify the blood should of itself be pure,
and not add extra work. Another thing
rI1Icf hA rAp1An1 h0rO1. 10 mot Uhpn
thoroughly chilled, remain in a hot
room that is filled with dry air. 1t is bet
ter to put a vessel of water upOn the
stove or ovev the register to provide a
little moisture.
The chilliness and %shiYering which SO
often accompany the first stages Of a
cold are largely due to the great disturb
ance in the circulation of blood in the
capillaries or minute blood vessels of the
surface, but they are also due to the i'm
preston Of cold made upon the nervous
system through the millions of tiny
nerves distributed upon the surface.
How few persons realize that the nerves
have anything to do with chilliness! But
it is a fact that the sense of chillineSS is
always one of nervous impression, aEd
the nerves are always more or less de-
pressed during a cold. The first object
to be accomplished in striving to break
a cold" is to overcome the chilliness and
depression. If this a be done quickly
all danger may be averted right in the
start. Here an n of prevention is
worth a pound of cure, and energy and
thOrOughness are most profitable. Work
here may seem bothersome. 1t is moth
ing compared with the labor of nursing
a cold or treating a case of pneumonia,
or bronchitis, or consumption, which
neglect might easily permit to develop.
The best possible method of securing an
equilibrium of the circulation is ener-
getic exercise, but if this cannot be we'll
taken, then, after the body has become
accustomed to the temperature Of the
room, place the feet in hot water. 1t is
best to use a deep vessel or tub and have
the water up the limbs to above the
knees. From time to time add hot water
to keep it as hot as a possibly be
borne. Keep the feet in such a bath from
Is to 80 minutes, OF even longer. Then
withdraw them, just after adding hot
water; dry them thoroughly, and wrap
them in a wooden blanket, previously
heated, and get into bed. This will give
a delicious sense of comfort. If the feet
and limbs are clammy, as we'll as cold,
it is a good plan to add a little vinegaror
acetic acid to the water. 1t is also good,
after the feet and limbs have been thor
oughly dried, to rub them with hot olive
oil before wrapping them in the warm
blankets. If the body is very cold, eS-
pecially if creepy" sensations are ex-
p%erienced in the back, it is advisable,
while the foot bath is being taken, tosfp
some hot infusion, such as hot lemonade
containing ginger OF nutmeg, or even
simply hot water as hot as it a be
slipped. Probably the best drink of all is
ginger tea. This is best prepared by put
ting a Tablespoonful Of powdered gin
ger in a coffee cup with a ~teaspoonful Of
granulated sugar, mixing thoroughly,
and then filling the cup with boiling wa
ter and adding cream as for coffee. This
is delicious if slipped hot.
It is often necessary to keep slipping
this hot infusion after going to bed, I'M
til the surface of the body becomes COM
fortably warm and moist. At the same
time a hot-water bottle or heated irons
may be placed to the feet-the object be-
ing to draw the blood away from the
overcrowded organs above, and to allow
the discharge of secretions through the
skin.
When the cold seems deep-seated tits
excellent plan to wet two folded tow
els in cold water and place n upon the
back and the other over the chest, and
cover them with o dry towel. The cold
water soon becomes heated and softens
the skin and starts the circulation of
the blood outward and allows the escape
of impure material directly over the af-
fected organs.
Some persons are averse to drinking
hot i~nfusions, or arc so situated that
they cannot prepare them; such may be
greatly benefited by using ordinary red
pepper every six hours in quantities suf-
tcient to fill a No. 5 capsule. Ginger and