p. 82 | Common Colds

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 13, 1866

Common Colds.

In the matter of common colds, as with many other matters, the commonest things are the most commonly misunderstood. The phrase and the malady, “common colds” are as common as common sense; yet who knows what a common cold really is? A whole community is not uncommonly in a coughing, sneezing, shivering, burning, ague-and-fever, expectorating and deflexive condition, because of the uncommon prevalence of a common cold. But the physician who can explain its rationale will be in advance of the community, possibly there may be one person in a whole commonwealth who can indicate the correct principle on which a common cold should be medicated.

Now, pathologically speaking, a common cold is an uncommon heat. The disease—morbus—to which the term is applied, is really a fever or an inflammation. A person who is constantly exposed to a very low temperature, no matter how near or how far below zero, would never have a common cold, however uncommon his coldness might become. He might die, he might starve or freeze but he would not “take cold.” The more one is pent up in overheated houses and ill-ventilated rooms, the more liable he is to be “caught” by a cold. To produce the catarrhal affection requires the transition suddenly, from extreme cold to extreme heat. The application of heat is the immediate or exciting cause. The condition of the system is that of obstruction. The vessels are clogged, congested, and the resulting symptoms—pain, heat, redness, swelling, irritation, inflammation, fever—are the efforts of nature to overcome the obstruction. The method for preventing colds is, simply, to keep the blood pure and the outlets free, avoiding extremes of temperature, especially the sudden application of heat after severe exposure to cold. Bathing the whole surface frequently or daily with tepid or cold water, or exposing the skin freely to the cool, but not cold, air, with dry friction, taking proper precautions to avoid chilliness, are among the very best means for invigorating the cutaneous function and preventing colds.

Plain, coarse food, which keeps the bowels free, is an important preventive. Nearly all the children that “catch their death of cold” by running out of doors, and getting sore noses, sore throat, croup, diptheria, influenza, &c., have constipated bowels occasioned by stimulating and concentrated food.

But how should a cold be doctored? Firstly, if the family physician is a drug doctor, let him alone. If there is an apothecary shop in the neighborhood, don't trouble it. If you know of any “old granny” who is learned in botanic simples—catnip, tansy, boneset, fever-few, mugwort, fleabane, elecampagne, gill-over-the-ground, or queen-of-the-meadow,—don't disturb her, but keep cool, and exercise your own common sense, if you have any, and if you have not why should you expect other folks to have?

Remain quiet in a comfortable room of an even temperature. Lie flat on the back, and breathe full and deep. Fast. Drink as little water as may be without suffering of distressing thirst. Take a hot foot-bath at bed-time. This uncommonly simple plan will cure the worst common or uncommon cold in a short time. In severe cases take a full warm bath at bedtime; or if this is impracticable, a warm hip-bath and foot-bath conjointly. If there is soreness of throat and chilliness of the body, apply a cold wet cloth to the throat, and fomentations to the abdomen. When there is great heat and dryness over the whole surface, take the wet-sheet pack for an hour. No matter how violent the cold, or the inflammation, or fever which attends it, this methodus medendi will restore your health in the speediest manner possible, save your doctor's fees, ditto apothecary bills, and not expose you to die of drug medication.—Herald of Health.