25

OF COLDS AND COUGHS.

afford to take care of themselves, are often too hardyto do it; they affect to despise colds, and, as long asthey can crawl about, scorn to be confined by whatthey call a common cold. Hence it is that coldsdestroy such numbers of mankind. Like an enemydespised, they gather strength from delay, till atlength they become invincible. We often see thisverified in travellers, who, rather than lose a day inthe prosecution of their business, throw away theirlives by pursuing their journey, even in the severestweather, with this disease upon them.

It is certain, however, that colds may be too muchindulged. When'a person, for every slight cold, shutshimself up in a warm room, and drinks great quanti-ties of warm liquor, it may occasion such a generalrelaxation of the solids as will not be easily removed.It will, therefore, be proper, when the disease will per-mit, and the weather is mild, to join to the regimenmentioned above, gentle exercise •, as walking, ridingon horseback, &c. An obstinate cold, which nomedicine can remove, will yield to gentle exerciseand a proper regimen of the diet.

Bathing the feet and legs in warm water, has a greattendency to restore the perspiration. But care mustbe taken that the water be not too Warm, otherwise ifwill do hurt. It should never be much warmer thanthe blood, and the patient should go immediately tobed after using it. Bathing the feet in warm water,lying in bed, and drinking warm water-gruel, or otherweak liquors, will sooner take off a spasm and restorethe perspiration, than all the hot sudorific medicinesin the world. This is all that is necessary for remov-ing a common cold; and if this course be taken atthe beginning, it will seldom fail.

But when the symptoms do not yield to abstinence,warmth, and diluting liquors, there is reason to fear theapproach of some other disease, as an inflammation ofthe breast, an ardent fever, or the like. If the palse,therefore, be hard and frequent, the skin hot and dry,and the patient complains of his head or breast,itwiilbe necessary to bleed, and to give the cooling powders

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