COLDS AND ADENOIDS.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2866, 2 September 1916, Page 5

COLDS AND ADENOIDS.

I promised last wifek to give some autiioi'itativo data showing tho great importance of exercise in preventing tho tendency to "catch cold," and tho ooiiuection between catching cold and adenoids. I think I cannot do better than quote an admirablo analysis of this matter contained in the text-book oil "Diseases of tho Nose," by Dr. Krnost Waggett, a leading London specialist. I shall make'verbatim extracts, merely modifying hero and there in ofder to mako tho cssontial meaning clear to the lay reader and to avoid medical technicalities. How Colds are Caught. .Acute colds are caught in two different ways, and are said to bo duo either to infection or to chill. 1. infection. —Sometimes a cold definitely runs through a household, and one must suppose that the essential element here is the actual viruldnco of tho micro-organism. 2. Chill and Exposure.—The onset of a cold is much more commonly tho result of chill and exposure. One may gain some idea of the nature of this affair by a.■ personal experiment. Choose a moment when your nose feels perfectly, well to commence it. Sit down in an over-heated room in your indoor clothes with thiu socks oiyour feet and no boots; open the window to tho raw .-winter evening's air, and arrange for a .draught slowly to chill the lower part of your person. At first you probably experience 110 discomfort at all, but after an interval you will find your nose feeling unduly crry and patent. After au hour or so you will find the nose becoming blocked, and a sense of dragging weight is felt about the eyes. A little later your nose will begin to run clear fluid, and if you examine this you will find that it contains micro-organisms in small growing clumps. It would seem that by sitting in tho cold you have upset some local protective mechanism in the nose, and allowed the bacteria, which are, of course, always being doposited from the inhaled air, to gain a foothold and to multiply. . . . Whatever the explanation, you will learn that tho "common cold" of exposure may be prevented, and even cut short in its initial stages, by deep-brcathing, and, better still, by active oxerciso, such as , running. You will find that many middle-aged people who formerly complained of repoated nasal catarrh have ] been cured by adopting somo routine form of gymnastic exercise. Children of sedentary habits, and particularly those who arc allowed to spend part of their day in ovorheated, ill-ventilated rooms, and other parts of it loafing about the streets without sufficient clothing, arc. the special victims of chronic nasal catarrh and of adenoids. 'The essential preventive of adenoids is good domestic hygiene,' coupled with incentives to constant muscular exercise. Active Campers-out Don't Catch Cold. It is singularly interesting to go into camp with a volunteer corps composed of men leading a sedentary city life, and having none of tho appearances of exuberant health. ' While under canvas and doing hard physical work, thev may be wet through day after day and. sleep in the mud, hut you will hardly over see a man showing the least sign of a cold in the head. Adenoids Duo to. Kepeated Colds. It is most important to-bear in .mind that the common cause'of adenoids is repeated nasal catarrh, and that tho catarrh is mainly due t-o imperfect domestic and personal hygiene. Well ventilated homes and schools, good clothes, and regular exercises, as well | 'a-s the active playing of games will, of I course, not entirely prevent the occurrence of colds in children. When' the.v do occur it is quito worth while to bring them to a speedy end by confine|inent to bed; .... When the great importance of .these facts becomes generally recognised, the disease of- adenoids will become losb prevalent, and tho proper attitude of the profession towards it will bo one of preventive medicine. . _ Meanwhile we are confronted with au enormous number of cases of adenoids, and the important point, to bear in mind is that a child who is permitted to go through the period of the second 'dentition with nasal obstruction will bear the marks pf this neglect throughout 1 his life. Educate :the Mothers and Nurses. The duty of the medical profession which lies next to that of prevention is to educate all mothers and nurses into n recognition of the early stages of the disease —for as a rule'children are brought to the hospital only when eomo serious secondary cffect,frightens tho mother. Next week wo shall continue this article, showing what the mothers or nurse should look out for, as signs of adenoids, and shall also refer to treatment. ■

Quito a number of girls and young women took advantage of the opportunity of hearing Dr. Harcourt Arthur lecture at the Y.W.C.A. Club rooms. Taking for liis subject tlio "Care of the Child," Dr. Arthur spoke of the ill-effects upon childrori caused by the ignorance of those who have charge of them. He pointed out lioiv very necessary for a child's health is regularity in all its habits, especially with regard to fileep and meals; how needful it is to be able to discern quickly the symptoms of illness, to know the methods of preventing, or of dealing with sickness of any kind. on> behalf of those present, Mrs. Pearson, president of the association, thanked Dr. Arthur for his interesting address. The Red Cross tea of'-yio HamuaHukanui Ked Cross Society took place last Wednesday at Hamua, when Mrs. Hobbs acted ns hostess. There was a large attendance, the sunj of £1 Os. 4d. being taken. Next week, Mrs. and Miss Willis will bo ii>. charge of a "baske.t ten" at the Red Cross room.. In charge of the coats and parcels at the Soldiers' Boom this week aro tho following:—Sunday • Mrs. Sommerville; Monday: Miss Jenkyus; Tuesday: Miss Davidson; Wednesday: Mr. Lawrence; Thursday: Miss Marchant ; Friday: Mrs. H. S. Hadfield; Saturday: Miss' Eyes. The fortnightly meeting of the Wellington South Nursing Division of St. John Ambulance Brigade Overseas was held tliis week. There was a fair attendance of members, and the evening was spent in squad work. A meeting of tho Mayoress's Entertainment Committee •is to be held in tho Mayoress's room at the Town Hall on Monday afternoon at three o'clock. In regard to tho performance of "Sunset Land," which (delighted so many people in Wellington-, lately when it was performed id the Grand Opera House for tho benefit of the lied Cross, Miss Gladys Campbell wishes to gratefully thank Mrs. A. L. Warhurton for so kindly lending her private dancinghall on The Terrace, for so many months; Miss Dall, who did such excellent work in the training of tho voices and in the chorus work generally ; Mrs. and Miss Haybittle for "making-up" the performers, no small task when it is remembered that ( there wero some .sixty or so taking part; and also to Mr. W. H. Didsbury, who not only stage-managed tho piece, but saw to all the business arrangements. Of his work, Miss Campbell cannot speak too highly, and to his constant cnorgy, patience, aaid foresight was due to a very large extent tho successful running of the picce. The one regrettable, in regard to the last performance lay in the fact that, owing to a very heavy cold, Miss Mario Fix was not able to sing her songs.