4. CULPEPER’s ENGLISH PHYSICIAN, 
Or COLDS ann COUGHS. 
COLDS are the effect of an obftructed perfpiration ; and almott every cold j isa 
kind of fever, which only differs in degree from .fome of thofe that have already 
‘been treated of. No age, fex, orconftitution, is exempted from this difeafe; nei- — 
ther is it inthe powerof any medicine or regimen to prevent it. The inhabitants 
of every climate areliable to catch cold, nor can even the greateft circumfpeGion © 
defend them at all times from its attacks. Indeed, if the human body could be 
kept conftantly in an uniform degree of warmth, fuch a thing as catching cold 
would be impoffible: but, as that cannot be effected by any means, the perfpiration 
muft be liable to many changes. When oppreffion of the breaft, a ftuffing of ‘the 
nofe, unvfual wearinefs, pain of the head, &c. give ground to believe that the: per~ 
{piration is obftructed, or, in other words, that the perfon has caught cold, he 
ought immediately to leffen his diet, at leaft the ufual quantity of his folid food, 
and to abftain from all {trong liquors. Would people facrifice a little time to eafe 
and warmth, and practife a moderate degree of abftinence when the firft fymptoms 
of acold appear, we have reafon to believe, that moft of the bad effects which flow 
from an obftructed perfpiration might be prevented. But, after the difeafe has 
gathered ftrength by delay, all attempts to remove it often prove vain. A pleurify, 
a peripneumony, ora fatal confumption of the lungs, are often the effects-of com- 
mon colds; notwithftanding people affect to treat them with fo much indifference 
and neglect, merely becaufe they are only colds. Hence it is, that colds deftroy 
fuch numbers of mankind. Like an enemy defpifed, they gather ftrength from 
delay, till, at length, they become invincible. It is certain, however, that colds may 
be too much indulged. When aperfon, for every Might cold, fhuts himfelf up in 
a warm room, fwallows medicine, ané drinks great quantities of warm liquor, it 
-may occafion fuch a general relaxation of the folids as will not be eafily removed. 
Bathing the feet in warm water, lyingin bed, and drinking warm water-gruel, or 
other weak liquors, will fooner take off a {pafm, and reftore the perfpiration, than 
all the hot fudorific medicines in the world. This is all that is neceflary for remov- 
ing acommon cold ; and, if this courfe be taken at the beginning, it will feldom 
ae 3 he fymptoms do not yield to abftinence, warmth, and diluting liquors, 
there is rea! n 10 fear the approach of fome ‘other difeafe, as an inflammation of the 
breaft, an ardent feyer, or the like, and the patient fhould then be treated accord- 
et of preventing colds liesin avoiding as far as poffible, all 
extremes either of heat or cold, and i in taking care, when the body i is heated, to 
let it coal eraclually,. . 
ae 
Os- 
