COLD. 181 



luxury that slumlil never be indulged in. K\vn when there is no draught, cold air 



may be tin- stariinu' -p"ii. v people have a great dislike to "Infill 



and leave it till quite late in the autumn, no matter how cold it may be, 



y will consent to have on.- lighted. Tiiis. to say the Ira.st of it, is false 



;irious how lVf(|u'iitiy, in making formal morning calls, one is 



shown into a large, cold, damp drawing-room. The fact is, tlic family habitually 

 lO the dining or breakfast room, and seldom have a lire in the other apartment-, 

 unless they expect visitors. A call made under these circumstances often results in 

 ;i cold ; and if the slightest feeling of chilliness is experienced, the sooner a move 

 is maile the better. Going up to bed in a very cold room may lay the foundation of 

 all kinds of mischief. The only tiling is to undress as fast as you can, and jump into 

 -ing rapidly through the air, as when you are riding in an open or partially 

 opened carriage, or when sitting in a train next to the window, may give rise to cold. 

 All danger may usually be avoided by putting on your overcoat, or covering yourself 

 up with your rugs. 



Damp often gives rise to cold. A damp house or room, or a house with a damp 

 cellar, is an abomination. How often do we hear the exclamation, "This is a 

 wretchedly damp house ; I am never well in it." When such is really the case, 

 the sooner a move is made the better. If a house is damp, it is almost impossible 

 to keep it warm. Then, again, many people move into new houses almost, before 

 they are finished. This practice is by no means confined to the poor, and many a 

 rich man has dated not only the spotting of his mirrors and the tumbling to pieces 

 <>f his furniture from this injudicious procedure, but also his rheumatism or bronchitis, 

 <>r whatever it may be. A new house should be allowed plenty of time to dry before 

 inhabited. When people have been away from home for even a week or two, 

 tires should be lighted in all the rooms the day before their expected return. When 

 the house is left in charge of the servants, they should receive orders to have a fire 

 in each of the rooms in turn, or they will assuredly get damp and stuffy. 



Nothing can be more prejudicial to a person's bodily welfare than sleeping in a 

 lamp bed. The unsuspecting sleeper not only parts with the heat of his body in 

 < Irving the damp sheets, but does so at a time when his vital functions are at their 

 lowest ebb. A thoughtful hostess will always see that her guest's sheets are properly 

 aired. It may seem a small matter, but its neglect has cost many a man his life. 



Prolonged bathing often gives rise to cold. In a healthy person the chill which 

 results from the first plunge is at once followed by a reaction, which is salutary. In 

 a man with a sound heart and good lungs, this reaction is maintained for some time, 

 Imt in people of feeble constitution it is transitory. Directly you begin to feel cold 

 and chilly in the water it is time to come out. Have a rub down with a good rough 

 towel, put on your flannels, and run about till you feel warm, and then dress as 

 quickly as you can. The practice of idling about on the bank in a state of nudity, 

 Cither before or after bathing, is very dangerous. Cold bathing is the best tonic in 

 the world, especially for young people, but if you remain in the water after you feel 

 chilly you are almost sure to catch cold. 



A general state of debility powerfully predisposes to the occurrence of cold. A 

 person who is constitutionally weak catches cold from an exposure that would prove 



