CAUSE OF COLDS

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 48, 20 November 1926, Page 24

CAUSE OF COLDS

Medical men and scientists uro to co-operate in a great new ifl'ort to conquer the common cold—the most persistent and harmful enemy of mankind, causing more deaths and greater economic waste than any other disease. Just as in the days of war scientists in all fields are being asked to pool their knowledge and resources in an exhaustive investigation. In this way all aspects of the disease will be. covered and what is now a scourge may yield to the common attack of experts and cease to be a blight on human health and happiness. The magnitude of the effect can be guaged by the fact that in America alone 7000 hospitals and JOO universities have been asked to become partners in the undertaking. Similar efforts, although on a lesser scale, have successfully subdued scarlet fever, hookworm, smallpox, yellor fever diphtheria, typhoid fever, and diabetes;' and campaigns <ro now in progress against cancer and tuberculosis. The common cold has been neglected so far because its harmfulness has not been generally realised until recent years. Now wo know that it is not the trifling ailment wo believed it to lie. Tho whole human race is weakened by it. A eold. as doctors explain it. is n catarrhal inflammation of tho lining of the nose, mouth nnd throat. It is held by some to bo due to infeefion with some peculiar germs which have not vet boon found. Olliqrs think that a eold is due to ehilling, wet clothing, exposure, draughts. But people who live in Um colder regions of tho earth so’dom suffer from eolds. Eskimos are immuno from colds nnd coughs, nnd yet will contract one after i isiting a shin. Tn the temperate zone not more (han fifteen in every one hundred ponnle es-nne with only one cold in Um year. The nilnmnt is most frariueni in early childhood nnd Feast frcriimut after middle life. Put the specific cause still remains unknown.