The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1921-03-09
(U. S. Public Health Service.

, ert known to man.
The word "colds" means an acute in
| lection of the lining membranes of the
nose, tonsils, throat, and large bron-
chial tubes. The process may be ev-
en- more extensive and amount to
general infection Of the entire body.
| All of the breathing apparatus, except
ing the smaller terminal portions in
the lungs, may be involved, and as
matter of fact the disease may, and
often does, spread to these, thus pro-
ducing pneumonia. In this connection
it may be pointed out that pneumonia
kills more people in the United States
than any other disease excepting tub
erculosis and heart disease Many
pneumonias begin as common cold.
Colds do not produce tuberculosis, yet
unfortunately what is considered as
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 up
on~the growth and activity of living
germs which are always received from
other people. It is true that almost
everybody harbors disease organisms
in the mouth and nose, and that these
under favorable conditions will pro-
duce cold in their host. But these
germs in every case were rece we'd
from some other persons. In other
words, colds are infections. It used
to be thought that sitting in a draft or
a prolonged stay in the swimming
pool would produce cold. This is err
roneous, 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 eff
fects.
It is not necessary to describe a
cold. Everybody is familiar with it in
all it's variations, from the Simple
ordinary coryza, which is polite run
ming at the nose, to the sore throat,
the aching chest, fever, and gener-
ally ''knocked-out' feeling. The
the varying degree of inefficiency
which cold produces are, alas, only
too we'll known. Common colds occur
in epidemics and are distinctly conta
gious. They sweep through an entire
household, an entire city, an entire
State, attacking the young, the Adde'S
cent, the middle aged, and frequently
carrying off the aged, the weak, and
the debilitated. Schools, factories,
stores and suddenly crippled by cpl
denies of this sort, and the complica
tions and serious disorders following
the disease add to the great economic
loss produced in this way. Infection
of the cavities beneath the cheeks and
! brows, ear arrangements, chronic lung
/ infections, rheumatism, heart disor-
ders, kidney impairment, and depress-
ed vitality may ali follow in the train
of this widespread infection.
| To prevent cold it IS necessary,
/! first Of all, to keep the body resistance
at high point of efficiency. This
means that the body machinery should
! be kept in good order at all times.
Good Wholesome food in proper am
cunt, plenty of sleep, the careful at
tendance to the voiding of the body
wastes, the taking of regular exercise
in the open air, keeping the body clean,
the avoidance of hot, stuffy, dusty
rooms, the avoidance of exposure to
j sudden changes of temperature, the
prevention of the chilling of the body
either by cold or wet, are all protec-
tive measures. It should be borne in
mind, however, that even robust per-
sons may contract colds from people
who have them.
The germs of colds leave the body
in the secretion of the mouth and
nose. They enter the body through
/ the same route. Thus careless sneez-
er and the person who does not cover
! his mouth and nose when coughs are
breeders of these infections. The lit
tie living bodies which cause colds are
so small that million could rest on
| the head of a pin. When a person
coughs or sneezes a fine spray carry
| ing with it untold numbers of these
germs is spread into the surrounding
atmosphere to a distance of several
feet and may be easily taken into the
mouth and nose with the respired air.
! More direct contact, such as by kiss
! ing, the common drinking cup, the
common roller towel, by pipes, toys,
pencils, fingers, foods, and other
| things which have been contaminated
| by the mouth and nose secretions of
a person having cold may also car
ry the disease. 4
It is an obligation on the part Of
persons having colds to see to it that
they do not spread these colds to
somebody else. The person who neg
lects to cover his nose and mouth when
he sneezes and coughs, the careless
splitter, the person who permits his
germ-laden discharges to contaminate
things which are going to be handled
by other people is a menace to the
community. If such person uses pub
lie swimming pools, if he is not amen
able to reason and persists in distri-
buting his infection, he should be
avoided as a spreader of pestilence.
e.nod doal haa boon caid about