Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-03-29
COMMON COLDS.
Familiarity Breeds a Contempt which
Hides It's Scrt0usncss.

Familiarity Breeds a Contempt which
Hides It's Seriousness.
The most prevalent illness in the Uni
ted States Is the common cold, disease
group fncluded under one name and con-
sidered Of such minor Importance that
vital statistics do not record the enor-
nous number of persons who annually are
subjected to suffering. Inconvenience, and
economic loss thereby. Remarkable az 1t
may seem, the widespread familiarity
with this condition has bred contempt
which hides It's seriousness, yet when the
sum total Of the ravages committed ny
common colds is made, 1t becomes evil
dent that instead Of being group OF
trivial affections, common colds must be
classed as serious diseases
The phrase common colds like
charity" covers u multitude OF sani-
tary sins. and curiously enough. the name
has been applied to group OF anections
which far from depending absolutely on
cold are frequently the direct result OF
living in close, overheated surroundings
having lower relative humidity than tho
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 moro
extensive and amount to general In
lection Of tho entire body. All OF the
breathiAg apparatus excepting the small"
er terminal portions In the lungs may be
involved, and as a matter of fact the
disease may, and often does, spread to
these thus producing pneumonia. In this
connection l. may be pointed out that
pneumonia kills more people In the Uni
ted States than any other disease except
ing tuberculosis and heart disease Manv
| a a.
Colds do not produce tuberculosis, yet UNI
fortunately what Is considered as oolc
may be in reality the first symptoms 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
Is true. that almost everybody harbors
disease organisms in the mouth and
nose. and that under favorable condi-
lions will produce a cold in their host
But these germs in every case were re-
ceived from some other person. In other
worlds. colds are infectious. 1t used to
be thought that sitting in draft or n
prolonged stay in the swimming pool
would produce "a cold. This Is erroneous
but tho chilling Of the body which the
draft produces and the weakening Of the
IVltdl lOTC06 CauN0u ny tOO iOh6 " C"A'u'
lower the powers of resistance and per-
nit germs which have hitherto been HARM
less to their host, to produce their disas-
trous effects.
1t is not necessary to describe cold.
Everybody Is familiar with 1t In all its
Variations, from the simple ordinary
coryxa, which is a polite running at the
nose. to the sore throat. the aching chest.
fever. and generally knocked out" feel
ing. The cough. the sneeze. the mead
ache and the varying degrees OF ineh-
cheney which a cold produces are alas.
only too we'll known. Common colds oc-
cur in epidemics and are distinctly con-
tagious. They sweep through an entire
household, an entire city, an entire State,
attacking the young. the adolescent the
middle aged. and frequently carrying OF
the aged. the weak and the debilitated.
Schools. factories. stores are suddenly
crippled by epidemics of this sort and the
complications and serious disorders FOL
lowing the disease add to the great eco
nomic loss produced in this way. Infec-
ton of the cavities beneath the cheeks
and brows, ear arrangements. chronic
lung infections. rheumatism. heart disor-
ders, kidney impairment and depressed
vitality may all follow in the train OF this
widespread infection.
To prevent a cold it is necessary first
of all to keep the body resistance at q
high point Of efficiency This means that
the body machinery should be Kept In
good order at all times Good wholesome
food in proper amount. plenty Of sleep
the careful attendance to the voidina
of the body wastes. the taking Of regular
exercise in the open air. keeping the body
clean, keeping the mouth and nose clean
the avoidance of hot. stuffy. dusty rooms
the avoidance OF exposure to sudder
changes Of temperature. the prevention ri
the chilling of the body either by cold o,
wet. are all protective measures. II
should be borne in mind, however. thai
even robust persons may contract coldi
from people who have them.
The germs Of colds leave the body II
the secretions of the mouth and nose
They enter the body through the same
route. Thus careless sneezer and the
person who does not cover his mouth
and nose when he coughs are breeders 81
these infections. The little living bodie'
which cause colds are so small that 6
million could rest on the head Of pin
When a person coughs or sneezes fin'
spray carrying with 1t untold numbers
Of these germs is spread into the sur
rounding atmosphere to distance of sew
eral feet and may be easily taken int'
the mouth and nose with the respired air
More direct contact such as by kissing
the common drinking cup. the common
roller towel. by pipes. toys pencils. fin
gers, food, and other things which hav'
been contaminated by the mouth and nos
secretions of a person having cold ma,
also carry the disease.
1t is an obligation on the part OF PEI
sons having colds to see to It that the
do not spread these colds to SOMEBODY
else. The person who neglects to cove
his nose and mouth when he sneezes an
coughs. the careless splitter, the person
who permits his germ-laden discharge
to contaminate things which are goins
to be handled by other people is menace
to the community. II such person use
public swimming pools II he is not amen
able to reason and persists in distributing
his infection, he should be avoided as
sprcader of pestlenca
A good deal has been said about nara
ening people so that they will not con
tract colds. There is an element OF dan
ger In this since to expose a weak per
son to the rigors of cold baths and colt
drafts Is apt to lower resistance, thu
favor1ng the very condition which II
desired to avoid At the same time
should not be forgotten, that the Arcti
explorer does not ordinarily have oold
so long as he stays out In the open AM
that It is not the engineer and fireman
in the cold, drafty cab who have cold
hit those who ride In the close. dusty
overheated coaches behind When all
said, 1t must be admitted that dusty, un
ventilated rooms perhaps play the grea'