The Coolidge examiner., 1935-04-19

thousands and
thousands OF doctors have been try.
lng 10 find cure for colds. no one
so far has succeeded So when peo-
pie talk OF n "cure" for a cold. they
are talking about something that
doesn't exist. II We begin drastic
treatment of head cold very early,
We can sometimes shorten the
course OF the ailment. But the
treatment must be started early,
and we must stay home and take
care of ourselves. For II the cold
develops to the stage where there
Is an exudation or outflow of blood
serum into the tissues In the wall
OF the nose. then we know OF no
way to abort or stop Il.
II you keep UP a reasonable
amount OF exercise, and have plenty
OF fresh fruits and vegetables in your
diet, you can do much towards pre-
venting colds.
People who have many head colds
are apt TO conduct their daily way
of life much as follows: They sleep
with all windows down tightly TO
keep out as much OF the fresh air
as they can. They get up late In
the morning, hurrledly dress, eat
some prepared dried IndIgestIble SO.
called breakfast food" drink
cup OF coffee, and jump into the car
and drive To work They eat inside
the building al noon, or drive home
and drive back. They try TO re
strict the noon meal 10 a sandwich.
coffee and candy bar. They drive
home after work. eat a heavy meal
Of meat, gravy, potatoes, bread,
coffee. with cake and a big dish OF
ice cream for dessert. Then they
play cards until they 90 TO bed
again In their closed. poorly yentI
lated rooms. No human machine
can stand such punishment very
long. The nasal mucous membrane
may adjust itself In spite OF this
type Of abnormal existence. but
something will break soon. Usual
Is the head colds are forerunners OF
more serious ailments.
The more we learn about medi.
cine and health, the more we re-
spect the practices of folklore. II
you are beginning q head cold. then
] know OF no better treatment than
that which was prevalent In south.
ern Illinois In my grandmother's
time AS soon as grandmother no
ticed that we were chilly and be-
ginning To sneeze. she told US TO
undress. Then we were wrapped In
a blanket and laid across the bed
with our feet In a wash tub of hot
water. Grandmother knelt by with
one hand In the water and the 9TH
er holding a teakettle OF hot water
from which she poured a slow but
constant stream into the tub.
decided when the wa
ter was too hot; our protests avaIled
Next we were given glass OF
hot sweetened vinegar water or hot
If lemons were procur-
able. After we had started sweat
Ing good and plenty. we were put
into bed, given another glass of the
same drink, wrapped up well. and
to sweat for one or two
hours. Then dry covers were put
on. and long, sound, restful sleep
was sure to follow. Grandmother
called this breaking up a cold"
and she rarely failed.
Modern medical science says this
Is good treatment. The tempera-
ture sense OF the skin Is all upset
at the beginning of a cold.
All the body surfaces, such as the
skin, the lining of the nose and
throat and the air passages, have an
circulation at the begin
ming of cold. The millions of tiny
thread-like capillaries just beneath
the surface are each acting as they
please. They are like a large SYM
phony orchestra with each instru-
ment playing a different tune, when
they should be in unison.
The increase of heat within our
bodies induced by the hot foot bath,
while wrapped up in blankets, helps
TO stabilize the controlling mocha
nism, and to bring some order out
of the chaos.
The hot acidifed drink warns us
up inside, and supplies an acid to
the stomach, which is weak in its
powers at this time, anc
helps it come back to normal.
Vaccines, as a cold preventive,
have proved Of value to a few peo-
pie, but not many. The ultraviolet
lamp, or artificial sunshine, is un-
helpful in preventing
colds, but it cannot replace hygenic |
living conditions. Outdoor exercise, /
balanced diet and mental as well
as physical rest have to be com
bined with it.
Grandmother's treatment is, up to
date, the best we know.