Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-02-09
COMMON COLDS
HOW TO AVOID AND
HOW TO TREAT THEM

SO&fAAA0AN OSASA~O
HOW TO AVOID AND
HOW TO TREAT THEM
The most prevalent illness in the Uni
ted States is the common cold, disease
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 annually
are subjected to suffering, Inconvenience
and economic loss thereby. Remarkable
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, 1t 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 OIL
cold are frequently the direct result Oh
living in close, over-heated surround
ings having a lower relative humidity
than the dryest desert known to man.
The word colds means an acute in
lection of the lining membranes of the
nose, tonSils, throat and larger bronchial
tubes. The process may be even more
extensive and amount to a general in
lection OF the entire body. All of the
breathing apparatus excepting the small
Ter terminal portions in the lungs may
be involved, and as a matter of fact tn.
disease may and often does, spread Il.
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 cx-
cepting tuberculosis and heart disease.
Many pneumonias begin as a 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 tie
growth and activity Of living germs
which are always received from other
| people. 1t is true, that almost every
body harbors disease organisms in the
mouth and nose, and that these unde,
favorable conditions will produce a cold
in their host. But these germs in ever,
case were received from some other per
W
1t used to be thought that sitting in a
| draft or prolonged stay in the swim
ming pool would produce a cold. This
is erroneous, but the chilling of the
body which the draft produces and the
weakening Of the vital forces caused By
too long swim lower the powers Of
resistance and permit germs which have
| hitherto been harmless to their host, to
produce their disastrous effects
1t is not necessary to describe a cold,
Everybody is familiar with it in all It's
variations. from the simple ordinary
coryza, which is a polite running at til.
nose, to the sore throat the aching
chest, fever and generally "knockea
out" feeling. The cough, the sneeze,
the headache and the varying degrees
of infficiency which cold produces arc
alas, only too well known. Common
colds occur in epidemics and arc dis
tnctly contagious. They sweep through
an entire household. an entire city. an
entire state. attacking the young. the
adolescent, the middle aged, and fire.
quently carrying off the aged, the weak
and the debiltated. Schools factories
stores are suddenly crippled by epidem-
les of this sort and the complications
and serious disorders following the dis
ease add to the great economic loss pro
| duced in this way. Infection of the
cavities beneath the cheeks and brows.
ear arrangements. chronic lung infec-
tions. rheumatism, heart disorders
kidney impairment and depressed vital
ity may all follow in the train of this
widespread infection.
To prevent cold it is necessary first
OF all to keen body
/ high point of efficiency This means
that the body machinery should be kept
in good order at all times. Good whole
some food in proper amount, plenty OF
sleep, the careful attendance to tn,
! BODY wastes. the taking of regular excr.
else in the open air, keeping the bod,
! cream. Keeping the mouth and nose clean.
/ the avoidance of hot, stuffy. eustv
/ rooms. the avoidance of exposure to
sudden changes of temperature the pre
Vention of the chilling of the BODY either
/ by cold or wet, are all protective meas
I ureS. 1t should be borne in mind how
ever, that even robust persons NAV con-
tract colds from people who have them.
The germs of colds leave the body in
the secretions of the mouth and nose
( Ihey enter the body through the sam.
route. Thus a careless sneezer and thc
person who does not cover his mouth
and nose when he coughs are breeders
Of these infections. The little living
bodies which cause colds are so small
that million could rest on the head Of
a pin. When person coughs or sneezes
a fne spray carrying with it untolo
numbers of these germs is spread int,