The Washington times., 1936-02-11
Health
What Causes
Cold? p
By LOGAN CLENDENING, MD.

BY LOGAN CLENDENING, MD.
We have known for several years
now that the cause of the common
cold is, in all probability, what is
known as a "filterable virus" but
only recently have we had authori-
tative and scientific assurance
that that virus has been actually
isolated and grown in culture.
Filterable viruSeS are q group
of pathogenic agents so small, or
of such nature, that they cannot
be seen under the microscope.
They are dubbed "filterable" be-
cause they pass through porcelain
filters which catch all other germs
which we can see under the micro
scope. Again, unlike other germs,
they cannot be grown upon ordi.
nary media made up Of material
which is nutritious but dead. but
have to be grown upon living tis-
sue culture.
The culture most frequently
used is the embryonal tissues Of
unborn animals. It is upon such
culture that the virus of the COM
mon cold has been grown. With
this culture colds have been pro
duced in volunteers so that we are
as certain as conformity to Scien-
tific standards can make us, that
the actual virus has been cult
vated.
Other Problems
It is to be hoped that with this
virus we will be able to solve a
great many of the problems Of
immunity in the common cold,
and also to produce a vaccine
against it.
Up to the present, however,
these discoveries have created
more problems than they have
solved in the actual epidemiology
Of colds. # it be true, for
instance, that the virus grows
only in the presence Of living ami
NAL tissue, how does it survive
during the seasonal period in the
summer when colds are reduced
almost to a minimum?
If it depends entirely upon
human carriers for its spread,
which is the logical conclusion
from the researches, why do not
these human carriers spread the
disease in the summer as well as
in the winter?
Colds must have something to do
with low temperature and eX-
poSure, and yet there are number
of puzzling and unsolved queS-
tionS which hang about this con-
cluSion.
office workers, for instance, are
nine times as apt to have colds
as such exposed people as taxi
drivers. Perhaps those with out
door occupations become hardened
and acquire immunity to colds
through repeated exposure. This
might account for those who re-
port that walking around in the
snow in a bathing suit and taking
dip in the ice-covered lake or
river, will keep them Goddess all
winter.
Also the Semi-nudists who ex.
pose themselves on the roofs Of
buildings with the Scantiest pos.
sible covering. At the same time,
nobody knows certainly that these
people actually do have fewer
colds than others.
Few Statistics
The nearest to a set of scientific
statistics that we have on the sub
ject is from DR.. Dean F. Smiley, Of
Cornell, who has been watching
undergraduates for many years
and has reduced colds 42 per cent;
MS conclusion was that the stu
dents who wore little underwear
and took little exercise had ths
feweSt colds. Woolen underwear
and a great deal Of exercise work
in the opposite way.
In fact, for those who have a
certain special way Of preventing
colds. DR.. Smiley's general conclu-
sion may be interesting: No major
factor has been found as a pre-
ventive in colds.
Editors Note-Six pamphlets by
DR.. Clendening can now be OBJ
tanned by sending 10 cents in coin,
for each, and a Self-addreSSed Ella.
velope stamped with a three-cent
stamp, to DR.. Logan Clendening,
in care of this paper. The PAM
phlets are: Indigestion and Con-
stipation," Reducing and Gain
ing" Infant Feeding" "Instruc.
tions for the Treatment Of Dia-
betes," Feminine Hygiene" and
''The Care of the Hair and Skin"