The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-02-12
COMMON COLDS.
Dusty, Unventilated Rooms Play Impor-
tant Part.

|
The most prevalent illness in the Unit
ed States is the common cold, diseas
group included under one name and con
sidered Of such minor Importance tina
vital statistics do not record the enor
nous number of persons who annual,
are subjected TO suffering, Inconvenience
and economic loss thereby. Remarkabl,
as it may seem, the widespread familiar
| ity with this condition has bred con
tempt which hides its seriousness, yet
when the sum total of the ravages com
mitted by common colds is made, it be.
comes evident that instead Of being a
group Of trivial affections, common colds
must be classed as serious diseases.
The phrase common colds" like ''char-
ity," covers a multitude of sanitary sins,
and curiously enough, the name has been
applied TO a group of affections which
far from depending absolutely on cold
are frequently the direct result of living
in close, overheated surroundings having
a lower relative humidity than the dry
est desert known to man.
The word "colds" means an acute in
lection of the lining membranes of the
nose, tonsis, throat and larger bronchial
tubes. The process may be even more
extensive and amount TO a general infec-
tion OF the entire body. All of the
breathing apparatus excepting the small
er terminal portions in the lungs may
be involved, and as matter Of fact the
disease may, and often does, spread to
these, thus producing pneumonia. In
this connection it may be pointed out
that pneumonia kills more people in the
United States than any other disease ex-
cepting tuberculosis and heart disease.
Many pneumonias begin as common
cold. Colds do not produce tuberculosis,
yet unfortunately what is considered as
a cold may be in reality the first symp-
toms of the white plague.
The causes of colds are multiform and
not entirely understood. In every case,
however they are dependent upon the
growth and activity of living germs
which are always received from other
people 1t il true that almost every body
harbors disease organisms in the mouth
and nose, and that these under favor
able conditions will produce cold in
their host But these germs in every
ease were received from some other per-
son. In other words, colds are infectious.
1t used to be thought that sitting in a
draft or a prolonged stay in the swim
ming pool would produce cold. This is
erroneous, but the chilling Of the body
which the draft produces ,fid the weak
aning of the vital forces caused by too
ong swim, lower the powers of resist
ince and permit germs which have hith-
,rto been harmless to their host, to pro-
luce their disastrous effects.
1t is not necessary to describe a cold. |
Everybody is familiar with it in all its |
from the simple ordinary |
oryza, which is polite running at the |
lose, to the sore throat, the aching chest, |
ever and generally knocked ont" feel
n.y. The cough. the sneeZe, the head
che and the varying degrees of ineffi.
iency which cold produces are, alas,
My too well known. Common colds oc-
ur in epidemics and are distinctly con
agious. They sweep through an entire
ttacking the young, the adoleseent, the
and frequently carrying off
he aged, the weak and the debilitated.
schools, factories stores are suddenly
rippled by epidemics of this sort and
he complications and serious disorders
GLOWING the disease add to the great
economic loss produced in this way. In
action of the cavities beneath the cheeks
nd brows, ear arrangements, chronic
ing infections, rheuma tism, heart dis
riders, kidney impairment and depressed
itality may all follow in the train of
MS widespread infection.
To prevent cold it is necessary first
all to keep the body resistance at a
lie body machinery should be kept in J
bod order at all times. Good wholesome :
'od in proper amount, plenty OF sleep. /.
lie careful attendance to the voiding of /,
lie body wastes, the taking OF regular !.
,ercise in the open air, keeping the body
can, keeping the mouth and nose clean, :
lie avoidance of hot, stuffy, dusty rooms,
lie avoidance OF exposure to sudden
anges of temperature, the prevention
the chilling of the body either by cold Q
wet, are all protective measures. 1t '
ould be borne in mind, however, that u
en- robust persons may contract colds
ON people who have them.
The germs of colds leave the body in $
e seeretions of the mouth and nose. -
ley enter the body through the same
ute. Thus careless sneezer and the
rson-who does not cover his mouth
ID nose when he coughs are breeders OF v
ese infections. The little living bodies G
lich cause colds are so small that a :,
llion could rest on the head of pin. :,
hen person coughs or sneezes fine :