The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-08-13
FOLKS, sQUELCH COLDS
THAT Is WHAT THE DR.. w. G.
FUCKER SAYS
An Address Printed At the Re-
quest Of Public Health
Association

second years work with new OfAC-
ers. and new ambitions. AS well
as continuing the work which has
been so prosperously started. a
the really instructive literature that
has been prepared at Washington
within the reach of the public.
To. give an idea Of the practical
advice contained in these bulletins
The Free Press has been asked to
publish on the simple but pressing
question of common colds by w. G.
Ruoker assistant surgeon general.
public health service. 1t would be
a safe assertion that II this one
article was read and studied and
applied we could cut down our win
ter sickness by one half. With re-
gard to the cause of cold the readers
attention is called to the striking
fact that ''firemen and engineers
are not so likely to catch cold in the
drafty cab as the passenger in the
stuffy, and overheated coach.
This literature is free for the ask
ing and will be distributed on request
by the field secretary as part OF her
work.
The address of DR.. Rucker fol-
lows:
The most prevalent illness in the Uni
ted States is the common cold, q dis
ease group included under one name
and considered or such minor import
ancs that vital statistics do not re-
cord the enormous number OF persons
who annually are subjected to suffering,
Inconvenience, ana economic loss there
by. Remarkable as it may seem, the
widespread familiarity with this condi7
ton has bred q contempt which hides
its seriousness. yet when the sum total
OF the ravages committed by common
colds is made II becomes evident that
instead Of being a group Of trivial az
fections common colds must be ciasseo
as serious diseases.
The phrase common colds" like
charity" covers a multitude or SAM
tary sims. and curiously enough the
name has been applied to group OF al
fections which, fer from depending abb
solutely on cold, are frequently the di-
rect result Of living in CLOSE, overheated
surroundings having lower relative
humidity than the driest desert known
to man.
The word "colds" means an acute in
lection of the lining membranes OF tne
nose. throat. and larger bronchial tubes
The process may be even more ex-
ton Of the entire body. Al of the
breathing apparatus. excepting the
smaller terminal portions in the lungs.
may DO involved and as n matter of
spread 10 these, thus producing pneu-
menia. In this connection IL may be
pointed out that pneumonia kills more
people in the United States than any
.a her h.s4 Disease May
begin as a common cold. Colds do not
produce tuberculosis, yet unfortunately
what il considered as a cold may be
In reality the first symptoms Of the
The causes of colds are muitiform ana
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, It IL true that almost every
body harbors disease organisms in the
mouth and nosa, and that these Under
favorable conditions win produce cold
in their host. But these germs in ev-
cry case were received from some 9TH
>er person In other words, colds arc In
feottons. It used to be thought that sif-
ting in draft or a prolonged stay in
cola. This is erroneous but the chill
ling Of the body which the draft pro-
duces and the Weakening of the vital
forces caused Dy too hong q swim low
germs which have hitherto been harm
less to their host 10 produce their dis
astrous effects.
II " not necessary to describe a cold
Everybody Is familiar with 1t in ell it's
variations. from the simple ordinary
coryxa, which Is a polite running at
the nose. to the sore throat, the aching
chest, Fever, ana generSk1y knoch6d-
ss hssd Ss ana the ss yorytns desn sas
are. alas. only too ven Known. Common
colds occur in epidemics and are dis
an entire household. an entire city. an
entire State, attacking the young, the
adoaescent. tho middle aged, and fre-
auently carrying off the aged, the weak.
stores are suddenly crippled by cpl
denies Of this sort. and the complica-
tions and serious disorders following
tina disease add to the great economic
Of the cavities beneath the cheeks and
brows, ear derangsments. chronic lung
Infections. rheumatism, heart dtsor.
dsrs kidney iDpsarmenf and depressed
this Widespread infeos,on.
nrst Of al. to keep the body resistance
at high point OF efficiency. This
be Kept IN good order at all times. Good
wholesome food IN proper amount, plen-
ty Of sleep. the careful attendance to
the yoading Of the body wastes. the
air. fseping the body clean. keeping the
mouth and nose clean. the avoidance
Of hot. stuffy, dusty rooms, the avoid
ance Of exposure to sudden changes Of
Temperature, the prevention Of the chill
ling of the body either by cold or wet,
are all protective measures. 1t should
be borne in mind, however that even
robust persons may contract colds from
people who have them.
The germs Of colds leave the body in
the secretions OF the mouth and nose
They enter the body through the same
route Thus a careless sneezer and the
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 q million could rest on the head Of
a pin. when a person coughs or sneezes
a fine spray carrying with II untold num-
bers of these germs is spread into the
surrounding atmosphere to a distance OF
into the mouth and nose with the re-
spired air. More direct contact, such
as by kissing the common drinking
toys. pencils, fingers. food. and other
things which have been contaminated
by the mouth and nose secretions Of a
perEon having a GOLD may also carry
the disease.
n is an obiiga ton on the part Of per
sons having colds to see to 1t that they
do not spread these colds to somebody
else, The person who neglects to COW
or HIS nose and mouth when he sneezes
and coughs, the careless splitter. the
person who permits his germ-laden dis
charges to contRminate things which
are going 10 be handled by other peo-
pie IL q menace to the community. N
such o peryon uses public swimming
pooiz. h he " not aInenable TO reason