New Britain herald., 1914-11-21
HEALTH TALKS BY T. E. HEEkS, MD.
COLDS.

More people probably suffer from common colds than from any other single ailment. Health sta tistics give no hint of the prevail ence and importance of these mi- nor affections because deaths from colds perse are nil and sta statistics of colds are imperfect and difficult to collect.
 Could the sum total of suffer ing, inconveniences, complications and economic loss resulting from common colds be obtained, it would at once promote these ir- factions from the rank of trivial to that of serious diseases. A common cold is an infection of the lining of the nose, throat and large bronchial tubes due to a germ or germs. Therefore, n common cold is infectious and is really conveyed from one to another.
 Common colds are never fatal but the complications of pneu- monia, etc, arc serious. A cold or succession of colds may depress the vitality and hasten the prog ress of diseases lying dormant. sc
 As already stated, colds are dt to bacteria. or germs, and are nN due to exposure to drafts, sudde changes of temperature and chil1 ling of the body. These popular, beliefs are but the predisposing causes and will not produce a cold unless there are present the infec- tious germs.
 Colds are contracted from other persons having colds, just as diph- theria is contracted from diphthe- ria. The draft that one planes for his cold is usually the transient chilliness beginning a cold which makes him feel the cold air at that time. Were he not already infected with a cold the so-called draft would not be felt. Artic explor- CTS are certainly exposed to all the conditions ordinarily supposed to produce colds, yet they do not suf- fer from this ailment until they return to civilization and become infected by contact with their fel- ( lowmen. Common proof of the contagiousness of cold is found in the frequent witnessing of colds going through whole families. And this is usually observed in houses that are not ventilated in winter so we'll as in summer
 A young child suffering from a common cold or a very mild sore throat should be carefully watched The first symptom of measles and whooping cough is generally a cold in the head. The mild sore throat may be diphtheria. If your child has a cold or sore throat, do not send him to school. By so do- ing, you are endangering the health and lives of other children. Better for one child to lose a day or two from school than to expose probably hundreds of other child ren to the danger Of infection.
 The contagiousness and severity of colds very greatly in different epidemics. depending upon the na- ture of the bacteria and other fac tors. While colds are one of tho | most common afflictions, most people do not consider it worth | while to take ordinary precaution against them. Nor do they exhib- | it te least compunction as to how | they spread them about. Colds | are conveyed in the secretions of | the nose and throat, yet how prone | is the sufferer to cough or sneeze | in the face of the innocent by | stander,or to use the common | drinking cup, thus unwittingiy | passing his affliction on.
 Winter months witness the larg- CT number of colds, which fact Is due in part to our overh eated and oft times poorly ventilated houses, and to lack of sufficient care on the part of the victim, who has not at sometime or other been in the room of a person with 'only cold" and been subjected to his abuse by his coughing into the air instead of into a handkerchief, or by his waving in the air proceed ing it's use, an already overworked handkerchief, thereby spreading myriads of germs to do further harm.
 Guard against a fresh cold" by avoiding the predisposing causes, viz: dust, drafts, sudden changes in temperature, exposure to cold and wet, overwork. insuffi- cient rest, improper food and coddling yourself in overwarmed rooms, all of which tend to lower the resisting power of the body. Avoid exposing yourself to vic tim's cough or sneeze. Indeed, shun the room of cold patient, unless it is well ventilated. Avoid coming within d quarter of a mile of the absurd wave of the hand kerchief previous to its use. Fear