THE HOME, FARM AND BUSINESS CYCLOPEDIA. 



The action of cold is to partially close the pores of the skin, check the 

 natural perspiration by constricting and obstructing the vessels of the 

 skin, and so throw more blood inwardly, producing internal congestions ; 

 for the outer skin being incapable of performing its functions, and per- 

 spiration being an absolute necessity, the inner skin, or mucous membrane, 

 has to do the work, and hence the inflammation, 



THE EFFECT OF COLD is felt to a greater or less degree according to the 

 capillary circulation. If this be weak, or be rendered so by excitement, ex- 

 ercise, or by sleep, the danger is increased ; consequently children and 

 any one else, for matter of that are most susceptible to cold when com- 

 ing out of a hot room, after being unduly heated by running, or when 

 sleeping. 



From this it will be understood that the chilling influences enumerated 

 derange the balance of the circulation, and by determining a correspond- 

 ing amount of congestion inwardly, fix it in some part previously weak- 

 ened and made susceptible to disease ; or, in still plainer language, the 

 cold flies to the weakest part, which accounts for one person getting 

 rheumatism, another congestion of the lungs, a third a sore throat, and a 

 fourth, perhaps merely a cold in the head or chest. 



To CURE A COLD is to restore the action of the skin and induce perspir- 

 ation, and this, if done at the proper time, when the symptoms are first 

 observed, is exceedingly simple. People may sneer as they will at the 

 mention of the word gruel, but a basin-full of hot gruel, made thin, and 

 taken when in bed, will invariably arrest an ordinary catarrh. If the 

 chill be severe, the child's feet should be placed in warm water, a little 

 extra clothing be placed on the bed, and the patient allowed to lie in bed 

 a little longer than usual the next morning ; but the apartment must not 

 be too warm or close, or the additional clothing be too great, as, though 

 the cure may be accelerated thereby, the susceptibility is increased, and 

 the child rendered more liable to a recurrence of the attack. 



To those who will not believe in anything old-fashioned or simple, the 

 plan of a " wet sheet pack" will be found equally efficacious. This 

 is managed by spreading three blankets on the bed and putting on 

 on the top a sheet, which has been saturated in hot water and wrung 

 out. The child is then placed upon the sheet, enveloped in it, and 

 the blankets wrapped tightly around the whole body excepting the 

 head, and allowed to remain in this situation for about an hour, when a 

 a quick sponging of cold water should be given, followed by a brisk and 

 thorough rubbing with dry towels. 



