The health question box

Colds Q. What should one do for a cold when first beginning? A. Take a hot bath at night; a sweating bath followed by a cold bath. Then go to bed and drink water. If it is very important to get over the cold as quickly as possible stay in bed and drink water; take no food whatever, but drink, drink, drink-a glas s ful of water every half hour and you will rinse the cold out. Keep the room warmed and well ventilated. Another w ay to cure a cold is to take no bath at all or a short very cold bath, drink plenty of water, go out of doors and stay there until the cold is cured. If one lives out-of-doors entirely he will get rid of the cold in the cold air, because the breathing of fresh cold air increases his body resistance. It goes without saying that the patien t must keep warm during the out­ door treatment, either by vigorous exercise or by being properly protected with wraps and blankets.

Coryza-cute Nasal Catarrh Q. What is the best treatment for one who on taking cold suffers for a day or two with excessive running of watery mucus from the nose ? A . Coryza, or cold in the head, is one of the most common of all affections. It is due to an infection of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity. Colds are catching, like diphtheria and small-p ox . The treatment co nsists of rest, dietetic re gu l a ti o n, and training o f th e skin. A v apor bath, sitz bath, short hot tub bath, fomen­tations to the forehead and face give relief. This treatment should be taken at night just before retiring. If taken in the daytime the patient should not go outdoors or expose himself to drafts for some hours afterward. The inhalation of steam with an electric vapor thermophore is the best means of combating the local pain and inflammation. The susceptipility to cold is best relieved by a course of treatment to harden the skin. The most efficient measure is the frequent use of ...

Dry Catarrh Q. Is dry catarrh curable? A. So-c all e d dry cata r rh i s a condition in which th e s e creting glands of the mucous mem­brane of the nose have degenerated and in part disappeared, the result of long continued in­flammation and infection. There are two kinds of these glands, those that secrete serum, and those that form mucus. The serous glands dis­ appear first. The result is that the thick mucus secretion accumulates and forms dry hard mas­ ses which decompose and cause erosions of the mucous membrane and finally ulcerations and after some years even serious destruction of the nose. This condition is accompanied by a very bad odor of the breath, and often bleeding at the nose. There is an uncomfortable dryness of the nasal passages and of the throat due to the enlarged space resulting from atrophy of the mucous membrane. The complete cure of this condition is of course not possible, but much can be done to re­ lieve its inconveniences. By daily cleansing and...

Best Climate for Catarrh Q. What is the best place in the United States for a person afflicted with catarrh? A. The best state is the place where you hap­pen to be. Any place is all right. The climate is all right. The trouble is with you. Catarrh i s an infection. It is true that climates that are very changeable are a little more difficult for a person with catarrh infection than one that is more equa b l e . B ut, at the s am e time, the more e quable climate is d e pre s s i ng w hen it is warm and produces a low state of vital resistance.

Catarrh is Contagious Q. Is catarrh contagious, and if so how? A. Yes; and the fingers are a common means of infecting the nose. It is surprising how often the fingers visit the nose and mouth. This is especially true of children and even adults who have missed proper training in this particular. The fingers are often moistened with saliva for various purposes. If the saliva were green or blue, the fingers would constantly show evidence of being soiled with this secretion . By this means one may infect things and persons with his saliva and may in turn infect his own mouth with germs from many sources. As Doc­ tor Chapin has pointed out: " The cook spreads his saliva on the muffins and rolls, the waitress infects the glasses and spoons, the moistened fin­gers of the peddl e r a rrange his fruit, the milk­ man's thumb is in his measure, the reader moist­ ens the pages of his book, the conductor, his transfer tickets, the lad y , the fingers of her glove. Every one is b...

Nasal Discharge Q. What are the yellow plugs blown from the nose, and what can one do to get rid of them? A. These masses consist of dried or partly dried mucous containing great numbers of white blood cells and countless numbers of pus-pro­ducing bacteria. The crusts which are formed in the nose should be loosened and thoroughly removed twice daily by the application of a solu­tion made by adding to a pint of water, one dram each of common salt, bicarbonate of soda and boracic acid. An atomizer giving a strong spray should be used, so that the nasa1 cavity may be thoroughly flooded, and the application should be continued until the passages are quite free. Then an antiseptic solution should be applied. A solution consisting often grains of eu­calyptol to one ounce of petroleum oil or albo­ lene is very useful for the purpose. If pos­ sible, consult a good nose specialist, as there may be some narrowing of the nasal passages which requires the attention of a specialist.

The Nasal Douche Q. Is the nasal douche a good remedy for nasal catarrh? A. The nasal douche is no longer recom­mended. It frequently does mischief by carry­ing the infectious discharges of the nose into the ears and other cavities, and so doing great harm. As a matter of fact, it is not necessary in any case. An atomizer giving a strong, coarse spray is useful in some cases in which there is a profuse nasal discharge, and especially in those cases in which dry scabs form in the nose. A solution consisting of one teaspoonful of com­mon salt and a teaspoonful of soda in a pint of distilled water is excellent as a nasal cleansing agent when used with an atomizer giving a strong, coarse spray . Use twice daily.