HEALTH COLUMN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2823, 22 April 1908, Page 76

HEALTH COLUMN.

(By Dr Woods Hutchinson-)

COLBB AMI BOW TO CATCH THEIH.

That typical cold of colds, influenza, or the jfrip, is now Traaninso-usly admitted by authorities to be a pua» infection, due to a definite germ, the bacillus influenzae of Pfeiffer, and one of the most contagious diseases known. iEach o£ the great epidemics of it-1830-33, 183&-37; 18*7-* B, Jmd, of most vivid and unblessed memory, 18ba90—can be traced, m its sta*ely< maroir conrpletely across the civilised world;, begmnuig,, as do nearly all our world 1 epidemics — cholera, plague- influenza^ etc.— in: China, and spreading; via. India or Turkestan, tioRussia, Bterlm. London, JJew "STork, Ghtaaw. Moreover, its rate of progress is precmeir that cf the means of trayei'r cameWfraini post-chsise,. -ad-way, as the- esse ma»y be-. The earlier epidemics toofc two year* to spread from Eastern Rnjssia. to New "SFork; the later ones, 40 to 60 days. Soon it will beat Jules Verne or George Francis Traim So intensely "catching is it that lettera Wsribten- by " suflterers bare* beaett Kaiocwn to.. afSsefc bhe eoraespondent* w_oq.. received tfiem La a town, andi beeoma tiha startiflß poiiit. of at local epidfflnJG: Ot aoarsflj. it may be- urged that when we hssve proved the. grip t» b« a. definite Infection we have taken: it out of bhe dines oi "boldsT altogether, anxf that it* bacterial origin- proves- nothing m regard to- the: rests. But a rather interesting- state of affairs developed during the: searcfc for ths- true bacillus- of influenza. This waa that a dozen: other bacilli and', cocci were diseayeredy. each, of which seemed capabl* of causing all the

symptoms of the grip, though m milder form. So thafc bhe view of fche majority of pathologists now is that these "influenzoid" or "griplike'' attacks, under which eo:r.e & majority of all common colds, are probably due to a number of different muder mijro-orga.nisms. Tlie next fact m favour of the infectious character of a cold is that ifc begins with a chill, followed with a fever, runs a definite self-limited course, andi barring complications, gets well of itseif m a certain time, just like the measles, scarlet fever pneumonia; or any other frank infection. Colds- are also followed by inflammations; or toxic attacks,, m other organs of the body, lungs, stomach, bowels, heart, kidneys, nerves, etc., just like diphtheria, scarlet fever ov typhoid, only of course milder and less frequently. Last but, net least practically convinoing, colds xnr.y be traced - 'rom one victim to another; "run through" households, sphooisi. factories; occur after attending church or theatre ; .'nay bs checked by isolating the sufferers, and are now most effectually treated by ihe inhalation of nonpoisonous, germicidal or antiseptic 7apour_ and spray. _A.nofch.er curious straw pointing In fche direction of the r'aifectioue nature of colds ie the "annus] cold," or "yearly '-sore throat" from, which many of us suffer. When ive have had ifc we usually feel fairly si.fe from acids for come months at least; often foi: a yaar. The only explanation ti.at seems m the lea-, to euplain-. it. is. tha.l colds,, like other Lifesiicinsy. confer an imr v.vjnity a.j?ai;:ai another attack; only, tinlike scarlet, Fever, me.is'es, smallpox, etc., this ' i-nvmiiTJ.ity, i'.isicad' of for .life, is only for six months er a year This immunity is duo to, t_e for.-ne.tion m the blood of oro- ■ teej.ive substances known as anti-bedies-; which destroy or render harmless- the invading germs. Flabby, urdei^ventilated individuals; who are always- "catching cold,'*' ha^-e such weak resisting- uowers: that tb^y form hardly enough anti-bedies to tei-.Tii-nate the fii-st attack, w<ithout having enough, left to protect them from another for more than » few weeks or months. Obviously, we cannot "go gunning," for these countless billions of germs, of 15 or 201 species: Nor oan we quarantine every one_ who has a cold. Fortunately, no such radical methods: are necessary. All we have to do is; to take Nature's- hiufc of- the asiri--bodies and improve upon it. Healthy cells can grow fat on. a diet of such germs, and if we keep ourselves vigorous, clean and -.rell-ventilat-ed we can nract ieally defy the "cold" devil and 8 11 his works. Here is- the leitmotif of the whoie "asci naiing drama of infection and- immunity: Wo can study only one phrasing here. We shall; of cou.rse.. catch rold' occasionally but wiil throw it off quickly and. probably form, anti-bodies enough to i4st us a rear or. more: H<t>w ssn. this be done? First and foremost; by living and sleeping as much' aa< possible m fhe open air. This helps m several different, ways. First, by Increasing the vigour and resisting power of owr bodies ; second, by helping to burn up, clean, and rid our tissues- of. waste products which aro poisons if retained ; thirdby greafcly reducing the risks of infectioni — Get the. Fresh-adr Habit. — "Sou can't catch cold, by sitting m- a field exposed to thedraught frons an open gats — though I understand that casuists of fche oid school of "tha chill-and-damp" theory of colds are still discussing the case of the patient who "caught his death o' cold" by having his gruel served m a damp basin. The first thing to do is toj gefc the\out-v door habit. Thi3 takes time to require; but, once formed, you. wouldn't exchange it for anything els? on. earth. The next thing is to learn to sit or sleep, m a gentle current of air all the time you. are indoors. You ought to feel uncomfortable unless you can.- feel air blowing acres* your face night aud: day. Then you arc reasonably sure it is fresh, and it is the- only way to be sure cf it. But draughts are so dangerous ' As thei old rhyme runs:But when a. draught blows through a hole, Make your will and mend your soul. Pure superstition ! It just shows what's m. a name.. Call it a gentle breeze, or a current -of _re_h air, and no one is afraid of it- Gatti it a> "draught," and up go hands and- eyebrow* m horror- ait once; One: of our highest authorities on disease of the lungs, Dr Norman Biidge, has well dubbed it "the Draught Fetish." ' It is a fetish, and as murderous as Moloch, Tho draught* is a friend instead 1 of an eneihy. What converted most of .us fco a belief m fche benefieenoa of draughts was the openair treatment of consumption.! Hardly could there have been a more specfacular proof, a more dramatic defiance of the bogey. To make a poor, •' wasted, shivering consumptive, m a heavic one hour and a drenching sweat the next, lie out exposed to -the- November weather all dsy and sleep m. a 10-fcnot gale at night! It looked little short of murder! So mush so to some o f us that we decided to tcet It on ourselves j before risking our patients-. I I can still vividly recall the aston.enment I with which I woke one frosty December ; morning after sleeping all night m a. breeze across my head that literally made Each particular hair to- stand on end, Like quills upon the fretful porcupine, not only without fche sign of a sniffle, but feeling as if I'd been made new while I Then, we tried it m. fear and trembling on our patients, and the delight of seeing, | the magic it worked ! That ia an old stotj now, but it ha 3 never lost • its' charm. T^ see the cough which baa defied "dopes" - and syrups and cough- n_i_:tttre_,. dferuesiio, oati-snt, and professional, far months sub- '■ side and disappear in> ffiwmi t__r.ee to 10 .-.. days; the nighfrsweais dry ufc- witnin a j week;, tha appetite- come h&ek* the fever fall.;, the strength and oolbur- return, aa fi-otn: the magic kiss oE ihe ttee air of the ] woods, the prairies, th* seaooast!' The>re'« nothing else quite; like- it on fche green earth. Do you wonder that wa» become "fresh-sir fiends?' T — I^y tho Open-air Cure. The oniy thing, we dVead' m these is the imported "feoldl" What wilt cure- at consumptive wiil surely not kill a healthy nusn. If am dfeliyhtad to say fchasfc it 9_u.w» signs of beenminjr & fad. now, and; sleeping! perches are being pnt om houses all- over bhe country., Ths ideal bedroom is a small dressing: room; opening, on a wide, screened porch,, or bal-> oonijL. with: a. dtooc wide enough to^ allow the , bed to Be rolled ttiside <ftoii-g storms or iis severest weather. ' 9_eepi itb a porch» o» ia a room with vraidows on> two sides- -wide open, and the averago living roonr or ofßee begins to. feei stufly and "amotheuy" at ence. Apply tha samft treatment har«. Learn ta ait m.

a gentle draught, and you'll avoid ' twothirds of your colds and three-fourths of your headaches. It may be necessary m winter to warm the draught, but don't let any patent method of ventilation delude you Into keeping your windows shut any hou' of the day or night. The next important step m to keep clean, botr exile maiiy and iniemaUy: externally, by oold bathing; internally, by exercise. The onH reason way a draught ever hurts as is becauve we a^e full of selfnpoisons. o • guerre. The self -peisens can be best gc* rid ct by abundant exercise m the oper air and plenty of pure, "cold H 0 internally and externally. " o —The Co d Bath a 'Wbndei-workejr. ; Food has »-cry Hide to do with these aiuc'cxius, ana they are as likely to form on oce diet a. another. 7.a ? act,."thev fo:m ™>rnmi:y and i.n stages of nerfect health. a?:o a.-c only poieonc-.-.s if retained too- long, lr. ie. L.mpiy a question cf burning them aa auc g*htn ? rid of them quickly enough ov axexzise with- its airendant deeo breathing and per :p2 ratio::. '.Hie lungs are g_-at. • •£;•- --bage burners, -.xercase every day till you pott a.-.d sweat A blast of coid air suddenly stops bhe escape of these poisons through the skin and throws them on- the lungs, liver; o"Jacmeys. The resulting distudbante is the second commonest form of a "cold;" and : covers- perhaps a third of. ail cases 003urring. This is fche cold than can be pre* vented by the cold bath Keep the skia hardened and fconed up fco suoh a patch thai no- reasonable _hiii »yill atop it from excreting, trad you s.re safe. Never depend on clothing. The mere you p;te on. the mere jou chose and "flabbify" the : skin andmake it ready- to "atrt-kV- on the fii--. b_o>.th of- cold; &lr. Too hesw-y flannela- aro coid breeders, and ahsst-pi-oto-tors it_rentiocs of the JE^il- One. Trust the skin: is is one o. fche oicst important, and toughest organs m ihe body if oniy sriven Baif a. or-anoe. But .he most frequeni way n which, .baughts precipitate a coid. is by _emi:c» lf.vily lowering- the- vital resistance: THrs g .yes the swarms of germs present almost constantly, m our noses, throats, stomachs, bowe'.s,. eie., the chance they have beoa. "oc-king for— :o break through, tha- cc_£-.-bar-ie*- and r-un riot m the body. -Our. Bodies. Alive With Germs so. long as the pavement cells of our mucous juembrsne are healthy they- can keep, :hem out indefinitely. .. lower their tone by ocid fatigue., underfeeding,, and sheii I.Jne is pierced; m a dozen plaoes afc onoe. One" of the many horrifying, things which baeberioibgy has revealed is that oui bodies are simply alive with (perms. ei-en. m. perfect heaJtn. One enthusiasts dentist has <fcs«M<e.-«d, and described, no iess than- -32. distinct species, eachi one numbering, its. bi'liona,, which inhabit otu: gums and teeth Our noses, our stomachs, oui? inteelines, each boast a similar population-. Most o- them do no harm at all; indeed, some probably assist m the processes of digestion. Others are camp-followers,, iiy--ing- on oui' leavings; others captive enemies which h?,ve beeji: clubbed- into peaceful ■ behaviour by oue 'euoocyte and anti-body police. . - For .usianee not ». few healthy noses end ibroata contain 'the bacillus of diphtheria and ihe diplcccocua of pneumonia; We are beginning to find' that these .lasfc two groups will bear watching: Like ca.npfollowen»:^elsewhore, fchey carry. Knives, and: are not above using them on the wounded - after dark. In fact, fchey have a- cheerful habit of taking a hand ii_ any disturbanr othat starts m their bailiwiclt, and : usuai'y t on the side against the bodvoeila. Finally, while clearly realising that 3ie b-esfc defence is attack, and 1 that our. chief: reliance should be upon keeping ourselves m sveh fighting trim that we- can "eaz 'e~v. . alive" at any time, there is- no sense- 'ia'' running easily-avoidable riskSj and' wo should- keep away fronr infection as- far ai possible. If a child comes to- school; heavy* eyed hoarse, andi snuffling,, the teache?" should, send him. home afc once. It will only waste his time attemuting to studr m fchf.t trim, and' may infect a score of others. Moreover, it maj bo remarked, parenthetically, these are also the sym--torms 0' th<* beginning- ol me&S-es. s<?ajl<>fc fev«r, or diphtheria, and taw-thirds, of ail cases- of these would: be. sent home beforethey could infect anyone else, if thia peecedure were the rule. If your, own child develops a cold,. '? mild, keep him playing out-oWoors by himself ; or if severe, m bed, m a. wellventilated room, for three or four days. He'll get better twice as quick as if *t scfiGOL, and the rest of fche household wi'l escape. When you wake with a stuffed bead: and achi.-ig tones, stay at home for ai few days, If possible, out of regard for your customers, your fellow-clerks, or your office force, as" well as yourself If one of your employees comes to work ahive-ring, .eve him three days' *--*carion on fall pay- If it rxiae through rhe force^ you'll lese five tiir.es as much m enforced sick-leaves, slowness, and mistakes. Above all. don't go to any pufclio gatherings, like church, tfie theatre, or pa.-fcles. when you are- snuffling: end coughing. Tou aire uot exactly a '"oy io your b*ho: ders, even if you_ don't infect thera It is advisable and well /worth the fcrifl'.rig trouble and expense to fttmiirata. choioughly with formalin all churches, theatres, and schoolrooms at least-- once: * iaor.tb. Reasonable i.nd pUhSie-sdrited* pr-*---caiiliona of this gort ar» adviwtW.e. trot only fco avoid; aolds fchj&mselves, which ace disagreeable and dangerous- enough, bafc beciirse mild infection.? of fchi* sort anfft lapJhe commoneet sin-gle means, of. making a. breach m our body rampaats fchrough which; .--.ore sesiovs di.s>sase« like- conaempfcion, pneumon-3. and rheumatism: m2.y Sjeco- a^ entry (Ucids do. .nofc "run- Into! consumotim* on priew^Kvnia-: 'tr-:t, they beam _ou-th tb« _a__» .-daHcw to theus. fcbitet goedi iabei__ion» aa». flal.ci. tc do to, t.h» infernal- wwion* They reler.se niie Tid. of a perfect. iPajidfersu's box o£ distempers— tuibeEQU_D«isi. rmeumonia,. rheumatiera, brorchifciflv, Brighc's' disease*. neuritis,, eudooarditis. A cold is na longer a jcke. A generation; ago- a. prominent' p'Hvsieir.-n: wss asked by an a-natiou» mother:, rDocto* fecaw would you tr-ea* a. colek??" '-'•Witfe. oontempt, madam. " vepHed. ih* g«a± man-. That day is. p&st,. and has I*ste-_ toa long-> InieiligentLv regarded and! hajwiled.. thev> are tee revs;; haarmfui <_£ diseaeea;.. neglected„ one of the most dangerous, becaUset thor* ara suoh leg;ions- of thetm.