The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-10-05

DR.. Clendening will answer
questions of general interest
only, and then only through
his column.
thinks this is due to the advent OF
cold weather, but it is significant
that il also comedies with the time
when the furnace is turned on.
81 went out and got wet and
chilled and caught cold"-that is
the usual statement to explain
what doctors call the etiology of
the condition. But more accurate
statement would bel stayed in
and got dried and overheated and
caught cold" All the mucous
membranes Of the nose and throat
were baked out to thin layer and
lost all their resistance so the
germs had field day.
Everyone keeps asking-"What
shall take to prevent colds Shall
| take vaccines ?" The right an
swer is-"Keep the temperature
Of your house at IS degrees all
winter and let plenty of fresh air
in even on the coolest day."
l was never so comfortable as
the winter we had strict fuel ra-
tons and the temperature of nv
house was so to 65 all winter.
I-x1nor ua.t;r.
These are not my opinions alone.
The most eminent nose and throat
specialist of my acquaintance has
written All article for a medical
journal in which he says: 81 be-
lieve the greatest single cause of
acute colds is improper heating of
homes, factories and Office build
ings-usually over heating. In
nearly every home or Office there
are those who believe they require
an unusual amount Of heat. If the
Thermometer is not lowering near
so degrees they are freezing. Thus,
for the few many must suffer.
Apartment house owners fire.
quently instruct those in charge Of
their furnaces to force up the heat
in the early morning and late af-
ternoon. Hence, the maximum
temperature is frequently near So
degrees and the minimum as low
as so degrees. This variation Of rs
degrees throws an unusual strain
on the heat regulating system OF
the body, and if continued over a
period of weeks or months must
eventually cause breakdown"
Humidification and ventilation
are equally important.
Other causes of catching cold
are improper clothing, nasal OBJ
struction, body fatigue and i'm
proper elimination.
Too Warm Clothing
Most business and professional
men dress too warmly. The chest
lis covered with two layers Of wool;
lining of coat and vest, shirt and
Undertaking, making a total of
six layers of body covering. In
Temperatures of 10 to ~ degrees
with any activity whatever the
skin becomes moist, and no matter
how much clothing one puts on be-
fore going outside there is very
apt to be a chilling of the body
Surface. This, Of course, strongly
Ipredisposes to upper respiratory
infections and pneumonia. A coat
of linen or silk should be substi-
tuted at the Office and a light
dressing gown for dinner and eve
ming at home.
Women, perhaps, go to the othe,
extreme in dressing so scantily-
for winter weather, but it seems
to the eyes of hygiene and COM
mon sense that they have a more
sensible arrangement than men
for winter weather. At least when
they go inside they can take off
their winter coat which has done
the job of keeping them warm out
side and they are then in a light
dress suitable to the temperature
of our average home or Office
building. If you would like to get
a comparative idea of the differ
ence just heft in one hand a mans
coat, vest and trousers, and a
woman's dress in the other. The
weight Of the woolens for mems
winter clothes was determined by
English manufacturers with the
English climate and English open
heating in homes and Offices in
mind; it is not adapted for the
American scene.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
I. f. c.: What is the cure for
istula, and does it turn into can
Ger?
Answer: Surgical excision is the
cure. 1t does not turn into can
GER.