310 ALLIIALLOW TIDE. 



NOV, 5. St. Bertille, abbess, a.d. 692. 



Neptunalia. — Julian Cal. 



Obs. St. Bertille was born of one of the most illustrious families in the ter- 

 ritory of Soisson. As she \:rew up she learned to despise the world, and ear- 

 nestly desired to renounce it ■ she opened her mind to St. Owen, who encouraged 

 her in her resolution, .\tter careful self examination and prayer, the saint's 

 parents were made acquainted with her desire, and (iod inclined them not to 

 oppose it. They conducted tier to Jouarre, :i great monastery in Brie, where 

 she was receiveH with L'reatjoy, and never ceased to return thanks to God for 

 havins drawn her out of the If nipi-stuous ocean of the world. When St. 

 Bathildas, wife of Clovi^ II. munificently founded the abl^ey of Chelles, Bertille 

 was sent at the head of some of her companions, and was appointed first abbess 

 of Chelles in 646, which niona'tery she eoverned for the space of forty six 

 years with equal vii^our and di-crelion. In her old a^'e she redoubled her fer- 

 vour and penances, and in tlie^e holy dispositions closed tier life in 692. 



It is on this day that the pretended attempt to blow up the Parliament House 

 by Guy Fawkes is celebr.ited jn England by children, who diess up a figure 

 \ik.e a large doll, and call it Guy Fox. This image is burned at night iu a bon. 

 fire, a very wicked spirit to encuurage in children, but perfectly consistent with 

 the immoral age in which it originated. See Perennial Calendar, p. 609. 



Angular Physalis Physalis angulata. 

 Winter Cherry Physalis Alkakengi still fl. 



The most prevalent diseases at this time of year are those various catarrhal 

 complaints, commonly called Colds, Coughs, and Rheums, which are usually, 

 though falsely, ascribed to exposure to cold and wet. Checked perspiration 

 from sudden changes of temperature, from cold and wet feet, and jiarticularly 

 from sitting in draughts of air, will often cause colds, and produce other very 

 bad effects on the constitution ; yet the generality of colds are epidemical 

 complaints, and arise in consequence of ]iarticular states of the weather at 

 present but little known. Sometimes the cold is merely au r.ffection of the 

 nose; at others it is attended with more fever, slngina iii the head, lassitude, 

 and derangement of the stomach and bowels. Sometimes coughs are the pre- 

 vailing symptoms; and on going into a church in November the continual 

 coutrhing of a large assembly totally prevents our distinctly hearing the offici- 

 ating priest. These, and other considerations, have induced us to regard com- 

 mon colds, like the influenza, the slanders iu hoises, and many other distem- 

 pers, to be atmospherical epidemics. This has lieen illustrated by a great 

 number of examples, in Observations on Periodical and Atmospherical Dis- 

 eases, bvT. Forster, London, 8vo. 1SI7. 



We now come to the treatment of colds, a subject hitherto much mistaken ; 

 and our first rule is, avoid sudden changes of temperature, but, at the same 

 time, avoid being in rooms too warm or too close. When the weather be wet, 

 cold, or changeable, persons who have not been much accustomed to exposure 

 to the weather, should not go abroad ; but in general, and for hardy persons in 

 particular, too much coddling is injurious to a cold. As to regimen in colds, 

 it may be said that it onu-hi in every instance to be light : persons with colds 

 should avoid eating aninral food, and all strona liquors ; and should take plenty 

 of warm drinks ofacoolina- and diluent nature, and should keep within .ioors. 

 If the bowels be not very open, a small dose or two of some aperient should be 

 given, and repeated, if necessary, at ii.tervaU. There is a very good old pro- 

 verb admonishing us against eating much with a cold, viz. That if you stuff u 

 cold you will lie forced to starve a fever .' 



