Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-16
CITY COUGHS, SNEEZES
AND SUFFERS CHILL IN
EPIDEMIC OF COLDS"
Doctor Cairns, Chief Medical
Inspector, Issues Special
Warning Looking to Pre-
vention of Grip
PREDIsPosING CAUSES

Philadelphia is in the grip OF an cpl
demic OF colds and kindred minor all
ments that frequently lead to more Sc
rious maladies. A great number Of per
sons in the city have a cold in the head
or chest, and the trouble has become SO
widespread that DIR. A. A. Cairns. CHIEF
medical inspector of the Bureau OF
Health, today issued a special warning
on the prevention of the attacks.
One of the most remarkable instances
of how colds spread, It was learned to-
day, was in the offices of the Midvale
Steel and Ordnance Company, where Is
stenographers were forced to stay home
by colds To stop the Infection officials
of the company had the offices fumi-
gated Apparently the malady was
brought into the office by girl who
caught cold. A day or two after she
left to recuperate other employees became
infected, and within a week is had to re-
main away from work.
Grip and other maladies caused by colds
are particularly severe in some sections
of the city Business men In Fox Chase
are having trouble getting their work
done, as many OF their employees are III.
One place has been compelled to shut
down because OF n lack of help. In West
Philadelphia similar conditions prevail.
A baker, near 60th and Catharine streets,
fell I'll a week ago and within two days
his son and daughter also were stricken
with the grip. His wife Is now attending
to the store and taking precautionary
measures to fight off an attack of the ILL
ness.
DR. CAIRNS WARNING.
Doctor Cairns statement follows:
More people probably suffer from
common colds than from any other sim
gle ailment. Vital statistics give no hint
of the prevalence and Importance Of
these minor affections because the NOR
tality is nil and the morbidity records
are notoriously imperfect and difficult to
collect Could the sum total of suffer-
ing, Inconvenience. seQuelae and eco
nomc loss resulting from common colds
be obtained. It would at once promote
these infections from the trivial into the
rank of the serious diseases.
"The common colds here considered are
group of acute infections of the mucous
membranes OF the nose pharynx. tom
sils larynx, trachea or larger bronchi.
A common cold Is not merely Conges-
ton, 1t is an infection.
Congestion and Inflammation of the
mucous membranes of the upper respira-
tory tract frequently occur as a result
of irrtants other than bacteria. Thus,
chemical and mechanical irritants will
produce n congestion or Inflammation;
an increased acdity causes n fiaring up
of the mucous membranes, especially
of the nose. and many other local and
reflex causes lead to acute or chronic
catarrhal conditions of these membranes,
which may become exquisitely sensitive
and sometimes hypersusceptible. In the
absence of the proper bacteria, however,
these conditions do not develop into in
fectious colds. and are. therefore, not
DRAFTS" NOT PRIMARY CAUSE.
"The popular fallacy of colds being due
to exposure to drafts. sudden changes OF
and chilling Of the body
clirgs perslstently in both the professional
an6 lay mind. These are predisposinS
causes and will not produce cold with
out the presence of the specific cause
The bacteria usually found associated
with these catarrhal infections are sta
streptococci, pneumococcl. in
fuenza bacillus, the bacillus catarrhalls
and other bacteria. The geological rela-
tionship between these organisms and the
disease is not always clear. Many of the
bacteria are also found
upon the mucous membranes of
the nose, mouth, throat and upper res
Diratory passages: reinfections must.
therefore, be cosnfnon and predisposing
factors which diminish resistance have
a special Importance. Common colds fire.
luently attack the strong and robust II
exposed
CoNTAGIoN IN COLDS.
"Colds are contracted from other per-
sons having colds, just as diphtheria Is
from diphtheria. Arctic eX-
Dlorers, exposed to all the conditions sup
posed to produce colds. do not suffer from
these ailments until they return to civ
lzation and become reinfected by con-
.act with their fellowmen. A campaign
20 prevent the spread of the common cold
would have much collateral good In aid
ng the suppression of tuberculosis and
,ausing the diminution OF pneumonia and
)ther infections. Common colds occur in |
,pidemics and have all the earmarks OF |
contagious disease. Colds are apt to |
20 through al the members of a house |
lold and outbreaks in schools. factories |
md other places where people are closely |
associated frequently occur and result in |
loss of time and money.
while common colds are never fatal, |
he complications and sequelae are serl- |
'us These are: rheumatic fever. pneu-
nonia, sinusitis. nephritis and depressed |
'itality which favors other infections and |
lastens the progress of organic diseases. |
Common colds are perhaps most con- |
asrous during the early stages. II per- |
oI, would isolate themselves by re- |
naming in bed during the first three days /
II cold, they would not only bensfit |
themselves. but would largely prevent the |
pread of the infection. The contagious
less and severity of colds vary greatly |
n different epidemics and different sea-