The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-05-15
WHY ALL THE CRY IN THE WlNTIclk2

one of the stock arguments Of advocates of the cold delusion is that acute respiratory ailments prevail chiefly In tho winter or the colder part of the year. That iB true. lt. applies, however, as vol to diphtheria, epidemic meningitis, scarlet fever and other respiratory infections as it docs to coryzn, bronchitis or pneumonia.
 Tn the coidor months Of the year people are housed up and coddled more than in the warmer months. They get loss sunshine on naked skin. They take less open air ex- orcise. And they are more crowd cd together in poorly ventilated rooms where they como Into closer contnct with persons who have the eri.
 Tho experience Of the builders of tho Panama Canal with pneumonia md tho experience of tho British with pneumonia on tho Rand In South Africa showed clearly thnt overcrowdIng of mon in barracks or living quarters was the impor. tant factor. In both places whon tho mon were provided with more room to 1.-Two and Bleor in, pnou. monin ceased to handicap tho work.
 As for exposure to cold and wet, Inc experience Of nll polar explor. CTS, woodsmen, hunters, who suf- for severe exposure, far outwcighs tho popular notion. It Is strange that people who have had the least experience with exposure nro most positive that it is & dangerous thing; and thoso who have ondurod tho bIttercst exposure to cold and wet have tho least fonr Of it, for they know thnt nside from exhnus. ton and freezing it never causes or prcdisposos to any Illness.
 Eliminate tho factor of intimate contact with individuals who hap. pen to Do carriers of infection or who nre just coming down with or just recovering from some ncuto respiratory infection, and tho rest Of tho evidence favoring tho theory of illness or Towering of resist. anco" by cold becomes insignifl. cant.
 Tn the autumn. winter and DtOUIt WHO CNtItFn tuV VDs session of "tnking cold" absorb lit. tle or no sunshine. Tho ultrn. violet of sunshine Is probably es. sential to enable one to develop and maintain natural or normal immunity against respiratory in' foction.
 Through the colder months of the year schools, dwellings, offices, stores, theatcrs, workrooms, con. vcyances. .and nearly every othor place except perhaps churches nre generally overloaded. So few poo. pie spend SO little time in church anyway that 1t doesn't make much difference if the mir there Is more healthful.
 Aside from the discomfort caused by overheating, 1t probably does no great harm in itself. But wherever the air is overhcntcd 1t is sure to be excessively dried out, and the lack of sufficient water vapor in the air is injurious to the henlth Of mucous membranes and skin. Even where special provi- sion for maintaining better hu- Inidity is made, if the temperature rises much above 68 degrees r. 1t is almost impossible to keep the humidity as high as 1t should be- that is, as high as 1t is In open air at that temperature on n pleasant autumn or spring day. We do not know just how much influence the factor of aridity of the air may have on the individuals natural immunity, but physicians generally believe 1t is a factor of chronic respiratory diseases at least.