Show Allergy Seen As Cold Cause Food Drink Could Be Start of Malady WASHINGTON Something you eat or drink may be the starter for that common cold Dr John M. M Brewster of the naval hospital Great Lakes ill lii believes the first phase of the common common comman com com- mon man cold is an allergic an allergic reaction which can be cured by drugs that fight allergies He contends that when some food lood or drink to which we re sensitive gets into our mouths mouths or or if we inhale inhale inhale in in- hale some irritating substance substance- these allergens cause damage to the tho delicate membranes of nose mouth and throat Then i if the virus of common cold coldis is present it will find a nice nesting spot in the damaged anes So Brewster figures that i if you youcan youcan youcan can check this allergic reaction you youcan youcan youcan can lick your cold before it really gets going And he says that a group of ot antihistaminic drugs can do the trick These drugs which require a doctors doctor's doc doe tors tor's prescription get their class name from rom the fact that they combat combat com corn bat a a substance thatis that thatis is released in the body in abnormal quantities during certain allergic conditions such as hay fever asthma ma and ad d hives More than a year ago Brewster reported unusually satisfactory results results re re- re- re suits in checking common colds u ui the early stage with Now in the Naval Medical Bulletin Bulletin Bulle Bulle- Bulletin tin he reports use of ot four lour ot other er antihistaminic drugs mine and Brewster says 19 of 21 patients in hi whom treatment was begun within the first hour after onset of symptoms were cured That's a 90 per cent batting average Of p pat patients a t i e n a t s who received treatment within six hours or 74 per cent were cured All AU patients were warned that the drugs can cause drowsiness and they were cautioned against driving a car while under treat treat- ment For comparison he t treated r rea e a t e d a much smaller number of patients with a combination of codeine sulfate sulfate sul- sul fate and hydrochloride I which he said is generally accepted accept accept- ed as the preferred treatment for tot forthe forthe the common cold The percentage of cures obtained I on pati patients at different intervals inter vats vals after onset of s a y m p t tom o m I I ranged from 50 to 31 per cent |