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avoided. This is a fertile cause of infection. In blowing the nose care
should be taken to close one nostril completely and to blow through the
other without undue force. Otherwise, infection may be carried into the
ear passages or the cavities communicating with the nose and give rise
to serious trouble. When suffering from a cold, gauze or cheese-cloth
should be used instead of a handkerchief and burned after use. Sneeze
into the gauze, and thus avoid spraying infection into the surrounding
atmosphere.

[Sidenote: Emergency Treatment of Colds]

After one has actually caught cold the rules above given for preventing
a cold are in most particulars reversed. One should then avoid drafts,
variable temperature and any severe "skin gymnastics." The paradox, that
exposure to drafts is preventive of colds, but is likely to add to the
cold after it is caught, is not more surprizing than the paradox that
exercise keeps a man well, but that when he is sick it is better to
rest.

After a cold has actually been contracted, the great effort should be to
keep the body thoroughly warm, especially the feet. To accomplish this
it is often the wisest course for one who has a cold to remain in bed a
full day at the outset.

Medical treatment by a physician can always mitigate and shorten the
duration of a cold and lessen the danger of complications, the symptoms
of which can not always be appreciated by the patient.

Among the most effective home remedies for a cold are the hot foot-bath,
110-115 degrees F., a hot drink (e.g. hot flaxseed tea), a thorough
purge, and rubbing the neck and chest with camphorated oil. The hot
foot-bath should usually last 20 minutes, and be taken in a very
thorough manner, the body enveloped in a blanket. After taking the bath,
the patient should go directly to bed, and not move about and neutralize
its good results.

A general neutral bath not above 100 or below 95 degrees is very restful
to the skin and nerves as they have absolutely nothing to do to cope
with temperatures above or below that of the body, since the neutral
bath has the same as that of the body. One can remain in such a bath
even for hours, if one has the time, but in getting out, it is very
important to be in a very warm room and to dress quickly. In fact there
is very considerable danger of catching cold at this time if great care
is not taken.

If one does not remain in bed, it is generally safer to keep indoors.
The air of t