THE COMMON COLD

Shannon News, 7 April 1926, Page 2

THE COMMON COLD

What causes the common cbld. Ask the “man in the stredt.” and he will answer you directly : “Sitting in a draught, getting' your feet wet, washing your hair, getting chilled, over-heating, wearing perhaps too many clothes of too few clofthes.’ It does appear,’’ a doctor admits, ' that anything which lowers the vitality does make a person more susceptible to colds; but such things, for example as exposure to a draught and getting your feet wet are not the primary causes. Too many people who have not been subject to any abnormal exposure come down with colds.” Medical scientists are convinced of one thing—that the common cold is a contagious disease. Cold often run through entire households 'ip the same manner as other epidemic diseases. The great unanswered question is that of the germ or virus which cause's them. An American professor has recently conducted a series of researches which indicate that the Influenza germ is not the ca,use of corifmon colds. He took washings from, the noses and throats of persons suffering from common colds. The indications were that the cause of colds is some almost unbelievably small germs, or „a virus such as cannot be isolated by ordinary method's. As yet the exact nature of {the agent of contagion has riot beep determined. Even when it is discovered, there will still remain the major problem—how to protect the human body against the attack of the ‘germ.’’ Many medical authorities believe that! all'lhat can be done for the common cold is summed up in the words. “Take care of yourteejf.”