WHAT 18 A COLD?

Temuka Leader, Issue 243, 18 March 1880, Page 3

WHAT 18 A COLD?

It is startling to discorer how little we know about the commoner forms of disease. For example (says the Lancet) a “ cold what is it ? How is it produced, and what does it consist ? It is easy to say a cold ig a chill A chill of what part of the *.rganism? We know by daily experience that the body, as a whole, or any of its parts,may be reduced to a considerably lower temperature than will suffice to give a man a cold if the so-called chill be inflicted on the surface suddenly. Is it then the suddenness of a reduction of temperature that causes the cold ? It would be strange if it were so, becaus few of the most susceptible of mortals would take cold from simply liandling a piece of cold metal or accidental contact with ice. The truth would seem to bo that what we call cold-taking is the _ result of a sufficient impression of cold to i reduce the vital energy nerve centres presiding over the functions in special organs. If this be the fact, it is easy to see why nature has provided the stimulus uf a strong fit of sneezing to . rouse the dormant centres and enable tU m at once to resume work and avoid evil consequences. This explains why the worst effects of cold do not, a.s a rule, follow a “ chill ” which excites; much sneezing. Shivering is a less {■furtive convulsion to restore the paralysed nervous emniy, but in a lower degree it may answer the same purpose The shivering that results from the effect of a poison on the nervous centres is a totally different matter. We speak only of the quick muscular agitation and teeth-chattering which occur, whenever the body is exposed to cold, and evil results do not ensue It follows from what we have said that the natural inclination to ward off the effects of a chill is to restore the vital energy of the nerve centres, end there is no more potent influence by which to attain this object than a strong and sustained effort of the will. The man who r esolves net to take cold seldom does.