Department of Health

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 167, 16 July 1937, Page 11

Department of Health

THE COMMON COLD PREVENTION AND HOW TO AVOID SPREADING. The common cold is tho direct and indirect cause of much general ilihealtih and loss of efficiency. It is in particular one of the chief causes of ear, noso and throat troubles. Do you know: — How to Strengthen Resistance Against Infection (a) Keep all rooms freely ventilated, clean, and free from dust. Keep bedroom windows open day and night. To sleep on a verandah or balcony is excellent. Avoid crowded rooms, etc. Do not sit over fires too much in a stuffy room. Work in well ventilated rooms. Take brisk oxerciso in tho open air whatever the day. (b) Cold water applied to tho skin is an excellent stimulant to the circulation, to tho nervous system, and to the respiration. Train the skin to stand changes in temperature by frequent bathing. (c) Always have a handkerchief to uso when necessary in order to prevent a blockage of tho nose and consequent mouth breathing. The noso should be blown gently. (d) Avoid over-clotliing, but wear a ligiht woollen undergarment in winter. Keep your feet dry. (e) Keep tho body built up by eating nourishing food and observing regular sleeping hours. How to Avoid Infection Infection is less likely to occur in open air and freely ventilated rooms. L How to Avoid Spreading Infection A person with a cold when sneezing or coughing showers germs about. If you have a cold be careful to—r(a) Place your handkerchief before your face and txirn your head away when cogking or sneezing. (b) Keep at a distance from others, especially babies and little children. Remember that common colds in the very young are frequently followed by pneumonia. (c) Avoid kissing. (d) Avoid crowds. Children shoulJ be kept away from school in the acute stages. (e) Never spit about tho house or street; spit into paper and burn it, or into your handkerchief. (f) Very few colds would develop into serious illness if the person who has the cold were wise enough to take i proper care of himself the first day or two. Rest in bed if possible or at least indoors is advisable if the victim feels weak, a weakness may bo a sign of influenza. If influenza is indicated medical advice should be obtained. If a child has a cold it is safest to keep him in bed for a few days until the acute stage is past. (g) Colds should be considered as contagious and the same sort of care taken a with epidemic diseases. Finally, if yod have a cold, see that you do not convey it to others by personal neglect of simple precautionary measures, for tliero is no reason why a cold should spread through a home if these measures aTO observed. The individual who coughs and sneezes over the other occupants in a bus or place of public gathering is deliberately spreading infection and endangering the , health of tho community.