Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-01
CAUSE AND CURE OF COLDS
MUCH BLAME LAID ON BADLY
VENTILATED ROOMS.
Benefits Of Fresh Air-Uses of Hot
Water and Mustard Baths.
Linseed Tea.

From London Tit-Bits.
The primary cause of cold is want
of pure, fresh air. Badly ventilated liv-
ing rooms are necessarily full of impure
air. and if artificial light-especially gas
lights used in them the air becomes
vitiated.
Two predisposing causes of d cold must
be carefully noted. Either the body is ex-
posed when weakened by fatigue or con-
stitutionaliy depressed to cold current
of air. as on draEghty railway plat
form, to damp sheets or clothes. or even
to the devitalized atmosphere resulting
from letting a fire before which one has
been comfortably doing get gradually
low, or the pores of the skin are opened
in vitiated and warm atmosphere. such
as a crowded church. chapel or theater.
These causes may combine, and a cold
then becomes doubly severe. Frequently
persons ascribe their colds to going from
SOME warm place to the open air. when. as
matter of fact, they have already taken
cold in a close. unventilated atmosphere.
Slight or partial attacks of cod may be
treated successfully by immediate recourse
to fresh. pure air, gently walking the
best part of a day, taking a warm bath
at night, soaking the legs in hot mustard
and water to remove the head congestion
and drinking warm. thin Cruel before
sleeping to induce natural. perspiration.
The windows should be partially open If
the weather Is dry.
Tallow for the Nose.
To relieve the "stuffy' sensation about
the nose there is nothing better than the
application of the tallow candle of our
grandmothers. AS, however. modern tall
low candles frequently contain arsenic.
plain unsalted lard, or almost any kind
of thick grease, may be substituted. For
the tickling sensation in the throat there
is no remedy superior to linseed tea
made by pouring boiling water on fresh
seed, then slightly sweetened calculated
with lemon juice, and the usual licorice
left out.
The tightness of the chest is best relieved
by warm bath at bedtime. followed by
rubbing into thes chest a spoonful of hot
olive oil or lanolin. either of which will
effect the purpose, though the smell of the
latter is against it's widespread use. If
this latter symptom of tightness or pain
in the chest is at all severe the patient
must be put to bedi in an airy room, a
fire burning, and the window few inches
open in clear weather. There must be
only just enough bed-covering to be COM
Portable. When a warm bath is given it
should be in the bedroom, the windows
should be shut, and the immersion must
be all over except the head, and not one
part at a time.
Diet and Living.
For the first twenty-four hours, or even
longer. according to the severity of the
symptoms, nothing but breakfast cup
full of barley water and milk. in equal
proportions, every four hours, and
little fruit must be given. The hands and
face should be sponged with tepid water
night and morning. When the severity
~
milk. macaroni or rice pudding, soup or
other light diet should be continued I'M
til the appetite returns and the ordi-
nary diet can be taken, but the patient
had better seize the first favorable oppor-
tunity to get gentle outdoor exercise.
This treatment is for the severe form of
colds.
Drugs, homeopathic or allopathic are
really useless and poultices are not need
The thirst is best relieved by grapes,
fresh lemonade, or tamarind water. To
avoid recurrence of the complaint, mod
crate living, little or no alcohol-which
opens the pores of the skin-gentle exer-
else, moderate clothing and abundant
fresh air are the essential requisites.
Besides these general rules it will be
well if persons very liable to colds will
take care that no ingress be given to the
malady. Thus, If a cold usually COM
mences in the teeth, these should be at
tended to. and decayed or unhealthy
stumps removed.
If the eyes are first attacked. they
must not be unduly tried. exposed to
dust, strong artificial light, or bad air.
If the symptoms commonly commence in
the throat, then a daily gargle with cold
water should be had, the throat s.uiced
every morning with cold water, and
neither unduly exposed nor muff1ed up
with handkerchiefs, muft1ers, boas or
high fur collars.
chiefly affected the same precautions as
to clothing must be observed; porous and
not too heavy nannel or other vests
should be worn. and misnamed chest
protectors thrown aside.