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Show Doctors Fight the "Common Cold" "Doctor, what can I do to keep from having so many colds this winter?". This question is often posed before the medical profession at this time of year. "Flu and colds account for many millions of man-hours lost to industry every year, not to mention the discomfort dis-comfort and suffering to the patients pa-tients so afflicted. Therefore if there should be a means of alleviating alle-viating even some of this suffering suf-fering and time-loss, It would be well for the people to know about it. Let it be said at the outset that thus far there is no means at hand for the prevention of colds, the common colds. This condition is very likely due to a virus. This is an organism so small that it cannot yet be seen by any means of magnification that science has to offer. Yet evidences evi-dences point definitely to its ex-Istance. ex-Istance. Some of the diseases that are thought to be caused by such an organism include, in addition to the common cold, small-pox, measles, infantile paralysis, influenza, in-fluenza, etc. Certain of these diseases dis-eases are closely related to others oth-ers so that immunization to one of them at times has an over lapping immunity for another disease. In fact it was in this way that vaccination for Smallpox Small-pox came about: It was noted that those having contracted Cow-pox were immune to Small- pox; and it was but a step from this observation to the next observation, ob-servation, namely, that it was possible to vaccinate a person with materials from the lesions of Cow-pox and thereby protect him against Small-pox. Recently there has come into our hands a vaccine against Influenza. In-fluenza. It was tried out in the armed service and found to be protective in nearly 80 per cent of cases, which is a good enough record to recommend it's use routinely rou-tinely in civil life. The immunization immuni-zation consists of a single dose injection in the early fall of the year, and (for best results) repeated re-peated about 4 months later, another an-other single injection. This practice prac-tice seems very much worth while and is recommended to all, from school age on. No reactions are observed except in individuals who are sensitive to eggs. In such persons the vaccine is not recommended. The reason for this is the fact that the viruses whlrh are found .in this vaccine are grown on egg-embryos. It has been noted by a number of patients pa-tients receiving the "Flu shots" that they seem to have less colds. This may be true. There may be an over-lapping immunity toward to-ward the common colds in those persons immunized against "Flu". This effect is not definite, however, how-ever, and it is not the intention of the profession to recommend these Influenza injections with that purpose or thought in mind. We merely state that many persons per-sons have stated that there seemed seem-ed to be, In their case, such an over-lapping Immunity; and that in light of other experiences with virus diseases this is not Impossible. Impos-sible. We recommend "Flu Shots" for their specific value in Immunizing Immu-nizing against influenza. If they did nothing more, they are cer- talnly to be recommeded. "Cold Shots" of various origins have been used for many years, as have also cold tablets and capsules cap-sules for oral use. Many have felt that they help. Others have considered con-sidered them of no value. The opinion of the medical profession profes-sion regarding such "shots" or the use of such tablets or capsules cap-sules must remain as follows: We do not know if such measures against the common cold are of value or not Possibly they do help some in its prevention. |