COLDS, AND HOW TO AVOID THEM.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 39, 9 July 1877, Page 2

COLDS, AND HOW TO AVOID THEM.

(Prom tho Scientific American.) This is tbe season when coughs and colds are most frequent, and when, by lack of proper care, slight attacks, often increase to serious ailments. The following sound suggestions by Dr Dobell, in his excellent work on " Coughs, Consumption, and Diet i a Disease," are therefore of timely importance — "But 72 per cent." says t {, e writer> "of the cases of winter cough which I have analysed might probably have been prevented by attention to commonplace things. Let us, then, give a few minutes to their consideration. 1. Sudden changes of temperature. 11 This is the most difficult to avoid of any on the list. The. occupations and amusements of all classes involve such changes, and we cannot stop these occupations and amusements, oven were it desirable to do so. But very much could, be done to prevent tbe body from feeling these changes. The first, and most important, is the complete envelopment of, tho body and limbs in wool nest the skin,, thus interposing a bad conductor of heat between the surface of tbe body and the outer air. It is surprising that even ia the present day this simple and coininou* sense protection is neglected by so large a number of persons, both by the educated aud uneducated classes. It is not sufficient for the purpose in view that a little body vest should be worn just big enough to co/er the thorax and abdomen, leaving all the extremites unprotected,. It should be insisted upon by medical men that the arms and legs require to be, protected from the sudden transitions of temperature as well as the trunk. " The main source of protection, then, against sudden changes of temperature to the surface of the body is io be found; in a complete covering of wool next the skin. But, besides this, a mack greater, attention than is common should be paid to putting on and taking off complete and efficient overclothing, on going from hot to cold and from cold to hot temperature. This is particularly neglected by the working classes, and by girls and boys at schools. 11 What I have said with regard to sud* den changes of temperature will apply equally to two other causes of fresh colds, viz., draughts of c^ld air, and cold winds. . Both are to be deprived of. their sting by proper clothing of the skin and mucous 1 orificee. •• Getting vet, and wet feet, occupy a very serious place in our list ; and there' is no doubt that damp and cold applied to the general surface i* the most efficient moans of producing chill and vital depression, with congestion of the internal organs. It is necessary that cold be combined with moUturtj to produce this efiect. Even if all the clothes on the. body are, wet, no harm will come so lon,j as they are kept warm; and this suggests. the very gre; t, value, to all person^ liable, to exposure to wet, of light waterproof overalls. They may either be put on to keep the underclothing' dry ; or, if the undero'othing has become wet, either by. weather or pcrspiiation, they may be put on to prerent too rapid evaporation ani consequent redaction oY temporal ure, especially when the person is about to 4 remain ' still after getting warm with exercise. In this variable climate, therefore, schoolgirls, governesses, shop and, factory gicls, and all women whose occupations call upon them to brave, the weather, ought to carry with them complete mantles, made as light as possible, but extending from the neck to the ankles, which can be put on or not, as required ;, and boys and men similarly exposed* should carry waterproof overalls. " But, if wet and cold on the surface of tbe body is n fruitful source of cattrrli, net feer — which means wet ami • colil fe<H — is a slill m ire proliGc source. There is no external influence wh-ch so surely produces congestion of the naso- . pulmonary mucous membrane as wet and, cold to the soles of the feet. There is nothing so universally neglected, and ye]; there is nothing more easy to avoid. Warm socks, horse-hair, soles, goloshes, provide, efficient protection against wet nnd cold feet. Ie does not seem to be half enough understood that although a shoe or boot may not be wet through, if the sole is dampt it will, by evaporato i," most effectually conduct away the heit from the sole of the foot, and therefore, ou^ht never to be worn after exercise is over. •' We have s ill one ifcetn. left on cue list^-namely, fog-! and damp a;r, I have particular.lv rem irked, that although the. smoke and other irritating matters constituting fog are unquestionably very injurious, it is the moisture and cold of the, fog which are the qualities most potent for mischief to the naso-pulmonary rauf cous tract. , There is but one means of. depriving a fog or mist 'of its injurious properties, and that is a respirator- and the same may be Sitid of the changes of temperature, of which Ij spoke just now ; a respirator is the only means, of protecting the respiratory passages from the effects of transitions of temperature. It would be difficult to over-estimate the value of efficient respirators as a means of protection against naso^pulmonary catarrhs, if persons dibpesid to these affections would only carry respirators about with them in their, pockets, ready to. put on if required at a moment's notice. " Although it is quite proper to cover the neck lightly, I am decidedly of opinion, that warm wrappers round the neck are objectionable ; they produce conjestion of nasal and facial mucous membrane, and thus dispose to the very complaints they are supposed to prevent. On what possible grounds people jusilfy ; the sudden transition from a hot sitting-room to a wretchedly cold bedroom which may not have had a fire in it for weeks or months, it is impossible to say ; but it is quite certain *hat the absurd neglect of proper warming in feedrooms is a fruitful source of all Forms of catarrh. We cannot too much impress this upon our patients. It may often be almost as necessary for a delicate person to put on a respirator on going up to bed as wbeu goiug out-of-doors, unless pro*

te % i?rpZTT~* * '^Z 1 "/)Jer' precautions aro taken to assimilate /^^'thejempcratiiri) of the sleeping room [to &fc that-of the^sitiing-room. , ''<'& *" " Such; then, aro principal means i^&j.hy whictfT" woutd attempt to defaat 'V V tbe fickleneos ol climafp. They all asf ' ' sume that the patient suffonng,from vtm%i ' I,er cough is to lead an active and outdoor life— not to' bo confined Io his bedi fjr - .room, or his, sitling-room, or even to / ]Lis house. "