The New York herald., 1922-09-16

on the other hand, developed rheuma-
tism every time he leaned against a
cold wall when he was heated.
Among the theories advanced to ex-
plain Catching cold" is that the cold
draft chills the blood and that The
chilled blood Injuries the internal organs.
Chilling Of the surface induces hyperemla
In mucous membranes. The mucosa m
the nose and throat may grow red under
the influence OF chilling of the feet But
no one knows why this active hyperemia
In the mucosa predisposes to Catching
cold" One would think that it would
have the opposite effect, protecting
against Catching cold"
Ruhemann insists that the cold and
wet rouse the saprophytes to virulence
Prolonged lack of sunshine rouses the
slumbering bacteria and the micro
organisms of catarrh and rheumatism
become actively aggressive. This theory
seems to be disproved by the fact that
colds develop in the sunny south fully
as often as in bleak northern weather
Schade explains the effect of chilling as
tending to gel the colloids in the proto-
plasm. Any change In the colloid con-
dtion, no matter how transient must
upset the normal processes more or less
This ''gelosis' from the action OF cold
can be felt In the stiffness in the face
and hands after brief exposure to severe
cold. and he thinks similar changes
may occur in internal tissues and may
modify the defensive forces and entail
catching cold"
This theory deserves consideration.
but neither this nor any other theory
satisfactorily explains the origin of
colds" They have a three pronged
root--a local or general predisposition
to chilling, an opportunity for chilling
some susceptible portion OF the body
and an infectious process which devel-
ops in the tissues modified by the effect
OF the chilling. The predisposition seems
to be entailed more by indoor life than
by exposure to weather.
He adds that 1t Is futile to try to
harden" certain families. They are
constitutionally predisposed to colds"
and there is no help for them except
In warding off opportunities. Cold baths
are contraindicated in scrofula, tuber-
cufosis and asthma, and children In lynn
phatic. rheumatic and homeopathic fam
ilies should be given cold baths very
cautiously, IL at all. Deep breathing
exercises, he adds. may do harm by
drawing dust and bacteria into the
lungs.
The tendency to repeated colds, may
be the first sign of infection with tu-
berculosis. In sanitariums reclining out
of doors should be tempered for .he
anamic. rheumatic and catarrhal pa
tients. Open windows at night may
maintain perssting cold" In the tu-
berculous. In any event a tuberculous
patient with cold" should be kept
In warm room the same as for a
cold" in the non-tuberculous
For the weakly he says. cool air
seems to be poison for catarrhal con-
ditions In the upper air passages. The
tissues are left sensitive and prone TO
recurrence, and the weakly child allowed
to go out on sunny winter< or spring
day before he has recovered entirely
Is liable to react with chronic catar-
rhal bronchitis. Children who react I'm
this way. with exacerbation OF the
bronchial catarrh every time they are
allowed TO go out of doors, must stay
Indoors in an even temperature.
1t is difficult to decide sometimes
whether too much coddling or a sub
standard constitution or other factor ia
responsible, but one thing il certain.
that anjndoor life Is bad for both man
and animals.