Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-23
WINTER PLAQUES.
BY II. ADDINGTON BRUCE.
Copyright, 1872

NeopsTlSht, ioio-'
IN this part of the world colds. in
f1uenza, pneumonia, and tuberculosis
may fairly be termed the great WIN
ter plaques. To be sure, they are of
the-year-round occurrence. But
winter is their time of greatest fire.
quency, and for special reason.
One and all are germ-caused dis
eases. transmitted chiefly by air
borne infection from man to man, and
virulent in proportion to the vitality
of the persons to whom they are
transmitted. When the vitality is low
the germ virulence is high, when the
vitality is high the germ Virulence Is
low.
And. unfortunately, winter condi-
tons tend to provide particularly
favorable field for air-borne germ ac-
ton.
In winter people herd more together
than in summer. thereby increasing
liability to infection by personal CON
tact. Still worse, when winter comes
many people lead lives IA heeess1 com.
seoence making infection more aah-
gerous to them.
more awake to the Importance OIL
keeping their vitality high-tihese ons,
almost negligible. For ln1ectlori
would then produce mild reactions IN
contrast to the severe reactions Sho" IL
by addicts to vitality lowering haolts.
Among such habits none Is OF sraser
import than the combination OF over
eating with understanding
In winter the body unquestionaoly
needs more heat-producing toodS ina II
in summer. But not a few people pc
gin to gorge the moment lah se, s
they cease almost altogether-if not
altogether-the outdoor activities Oh
the summer months.
That is to say. they not mercy ,,
overload their stomachs continua Any,
but they fail to aid digestion. as they
would by exercise. The inevitable re-
suit is a congestion and clogging OF
the whole system.
Congestion-which means a poison
ing incompatible with any high de-
gree of bodily vitality--is further
promoted by the common custom OF
oyerheating the air of winter homes
and working places; of, indeed. living
and working in rooms where the ar,
besides being too not, Is lar 100 orS
and too stale.
Fresh air can never be justly in
plaques. Its opposite. however, is
again and again a contributory cause;
because of the lowering enects OF
Likewise lowering to the vitality
is the prevalent practice OF over
dressing during the winter.
Common sense dictates that warm
er clothing should be worn when cold
weather comes. But it is one thing
to dress warmly and quite another to
dress in clothing that is unduly heavy
and unduly tight. This is an error
into which multitudes fall.
Many, for that matter, wear cloth.
ing so heavy and cumbersome hat
they cannot walk in it comfortably:
Which affords them an excuSe-and
one they are perhaps only too willing
to accept-for not exercising.
Or if they exercise as they should,
vet persist in wearing clothes that
are too heavy. they incessantly be-
come overheated, and as sequel are
likely to suffer from frequent colds,
perhaps from something worse.
1 have known more than one man
who shed a cold-catching habit with
the shedding of an overcoat SO heavy
that he perspired overfreely whenever
he took a walk.
These are only a few of the faulty
winter habits that predispose to win
ter plaques. They are, however,
among the most significant and their
correction will go far toward secur-
ing the immunity so much to be de-
sired.