Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-17
TAKE CARE OF
THAT COUGH? ?
Don't Try to Be Your Own
Doctor For Colds Are Not
Trifling Matters

Winter is pretty sure to see many
of us with coughs and colds, not be-
cause there is any particular need Of
it, but for the reason that we are
careless enough to go about with
damp clothes and feet, to shop in
overheated stores with heavy wraps
on, to eat unwisely and to fail to at
tend to the proper body eliminations;
or to neglect to ventilate our homes
adequately and to keep the basement
and every nook and corner about the
premises in spick and span sanitary
condition. There is nothing like piles
of ashes, collections of trash, dusty
corners and close air to assist in con-
veying contagion.
When we procure a cough medicine
it is usually something in the nature
of an eXpectorant, because in most
cases coughing is an indication that
nature is trying to expel some Offend
ing material. An expectorant is a
medicine which either increases the
secretions from the bronchial tubes
and passages or which tends to liquefy
That is what we mean when we
say that the cough is beginning to
loosen up; that is. the mucous is
growing less tough and heavy and can
be easily pumped up by the action
of the air in the lungs when the pa
tient coughs.
Take Care of That Cough
Some people are unWise enough to
say: 81 have nasty cough, but I'll
cough 1t OUT or THE condition will
wear away in time" This is distinct
ly foolish, for in the case of thous-
ands of individuals it is true that 'it
was the cough that carried him of"
Many times serious injury is done to
the lungs or respiratory regions by q
prolonged, harsh or racking cough.
In health the mucous membrane
which lines the air passages secretes
an amount of mucous which is abso-
lutely necessary to be there that the
membranes may perform their func-
tions properly. If there is a conges-
ton of this mucous membrane or it or
the respiratory organs become dis
ordered in any way, the normal
healthy mucous is entirely changed in
quantity and character. We find ac-
cumulations of phlegm or even pus,
and in order to eXpectorate or to free
the lungs of this poisonous material
assistance may be needed.
EXpectorantS are of several differ
ent classes. Some of these in the ma
ture of tablets to be taken by the
mouth and slowly dissolved so that
there is a gradual medication of the
secretions; again, eXpectorants may be
in the nature of inhalants, so that
medicated air or steam is carried di-
rectly to the air passages, producing
a soothing or a healing effect; there
are still other expectorants in the ma
ture of cough medicines which are
taken internally. These are absorbed
by the system and, if composed of
the right materials, tend to alleviate
the condition.
In the first stages of cold and
cough something is usually required
to promote the secretion and eXhal-
alton during the acute and inflamma-
tory period; at a later stage tonics
and medicines of the emulsion class
improve the general health and assist
in restoring the secretions of the
respiratory tract to a normal condi-
ton. In chronic cases the treatment is
of necessity constitutional.
Don't Try To Be Your Own Doctor
1t will be seen at once how foolish
it is to attempt Standardization and
thus to lose valuable time. 1t is much
wiser to consult a physician in the be-
ginning and to take the remedy exact
~ Sulteu 10 Ine StdBe ana severity
of the affection rather than to expert
ment blindly. We would not attempt
to repair our own watch or even to
tap our own shoes, but many are
quite ready to attempt to repair their
own physical machinery in spite of
the fact they know nothing about it,
Coughs and colds invariably result
in lowered efficiency, more or less
discomfort if not suffering, and in
many cases lead to the onset of more
serious diseases. 1t is poor policy to
lose strategic time by taking some
ting" on a guess
Coughs and colds are not trifling
matters. Their cause and action are
not especially mysterious that is,
to those who have made q study of
all the contributory conditions. That
is why ready made medicine may
or may not hit the nail on the head.