Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-13
TO PREVENT THE COMMON COLD.
Put on Heavier Clothing and Keep
Warm as Temperature Falls.
From the New York Herald.

From the New York Herald.
Coughs and colds are just now very
prevalent in consequence of the lowered
temperature Of the last few days. The
sudden change has taken us nawares and
there Is widespread suffering as the result;
indeed, the catarrhal affections are almost
of epidemic form. We are hardly prepared
for almost winter weather in early autumn.
In many homes the fires have not been
started and the discomfortIng chliness 10
doing its work.
The ordinary attack of cold is the conse-
quence of a general cooling of the body.
whereby the blood from tho surface In
forced upon the internal organs The mu-
cous membranes Of the nose and bronchial
passages are those most affected. becoming
congested and inflamed ana relieving their
turgidity by copious secrctions. Nature is
always kind enough to give us due warning
of an attack of the distcmper by a sense
of shivering and chillineSs. The longer
these sensations last the more the danger.
The continuance of the GOODNESS not only
lowers vital resistance, but indirectly cauSes
more or less permanent congestion of the
deeper parts OF the body. This condition is
brought about more particularly by sitting
in cold rooms, by exposure to draughts and
by insufficient clothing
The strong and healthy individual Is least
liable to such influences, hut sooner or
later IL the cause be continually working
he Succumbs. 1t IS the penalty of inatten-
ton to little things. In this climate one
cannot live by any rule of seasons. Tho
almanac is no criterion for dressing to keep
comfortable. The thermometer is the only
true interpreter of our needs in that regard
In coming cold weather the first change
should be with the undertaking. Tho
Englishman understands this necessity bet
ter than we do, puts on his under Wooleus.
and even during winter can endure a low
temperature in his room which would mako
the average American visitor extremely I'M
comfortable. 1t is matter of training tho
body to meet cohstaItly occurring emer-
gencies.
We say his house is always cooler than
ours, which is true enough, but he wisely
conserves his bodily heat by proper cloth
ing rather than obtain 1t by an over
driven hot-air furnace. When we admit
that weakened vital resistance is the usual
forerunner of catarrhal troubles We have
the strongest reasons for counteractinS
such influence.
The cold morning plunge has answered
this question very satisfactorily for such
as have the hardihood to keep up the prac-
tlce the year round. Such persons seldom
take cold" when their weaker brothers
would be certain of severe seizure. They
have the extra glow of skin. an Increased
surface warmth that acts as an extra gar
ment always with them and always
ready protective against any sudden change
of temperature
The opposite to this condition is that IN
duced by the American habit of overhead
ing our apartments and making us doubly
susceptible to the cold outside. We can
keep comfortable without baking ourselves.
All these precautions may seem trivial 10
the one who does not stop and think. Now
Is the time, however, TO make the goou
resolutions, backed by sensible practices.
that will enable most or us 10 escape an
the numerous catarrhal troubles which we
are made to believe will come to US Whether
or no. Then, too the pneumo-coccus may
be waiting for his fatal inning.