Diseases > Domestic medicine

274 buchan’s
the malady will increase it. By this means a common
cold may he converted into an inflammatory fever.
When those who labour for their daily bread have
the misfortune to catch cold, they cannot afiford to
lose a day or two, in order to keep themselves warm,
and take a little medicine ; by which means the
disorder is often so aggravated as to confine them for
a long time, or even to render them ever after unable
to sustain hard labour. But even such of the la¬
bouring poor as can afford to take care of themselves,
are often too hardy to do it; they affect to despise
colds, and as long as they can crawl about, scorn to
be confined by what they call a common cold.—Hence
it is, that colds destroy such numbers of mankind.—
Like an enemy despised, they gather strength from
delay, till at length they become invincible. We
often see this verified in travellers, who, rather than
lose a day in the prosecution of their business, throw
away their lives by pursuing their journey, even in
the severest weather, with this disease upon them.
It is certain, however, that colds may be too much
indulged. When a person, for every slight cold,
shuts himself up in a warm room, and drinks great
quantities of warm liquor, it may occasion such a
general relaxation of the solids as will not be easily
removed. It will therefore be proper, when the
disease will permit, and the weather is mild, to join
to the regimen mentioned above, gentle exercise ; as
walking, riding on horseback, or in a carriage, &c.
An obstinate cold, which no medicine can remove,
will yield to gentle exercise and a proper regimen of
the diet.
Bathing the feet and legs in warm water has a
great tendency to restore the perspiration. But care
must be taken that the water be not too warm,
otherwise it will do hurt. It should never be much
warmei than th^ b'ood, and the patient should go