Curing Catarrh COUGHS AND COLDS BY R. L. ALSAKER, M.D. j AUTHOR OF "EATING FOR HEALTH AND EFFICIENCY," "GETTING RID OF RHEUMATISM," ' "CURING DISEASES OF THE HEART AND ARTERIES," ETC GRANT PUBLISHING COMPANY, Inc. 1138 Broadway, New York 1924 Copybight, 1917, By FRANK E. MORRISON NEW YORK Copyright, 1924, By GRANT PUBLISHING COMPANY, Inc. All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America CONTENTS Paet I PAGE The Respiratory Apparatus ...... 27 Miscellaneous Information 32 Cause of Colds » . 52 Symptoms of Colds ........ 62 Treatment of Colds 66 Prevention of Colds 78 Part II Chronic Catarrh 91 Relieving Catarrh 104 Curing Chronic Catarrh . . , . 106 Eating in Chronic Catarrh .... .. 109 Special Menus 123 Coughs 133 Acute Catarrhal Tonsillitis ...... 138 Chronic Tonsillitis 150 Acute Catarrhal Laryngitis 153 Chronic Catarrhal Laryngitis .... 156 Adenoids 159 Acute Bronchitis . . . 177 Chronic Bronchitis . . . ... .189 Hay Fever t. t« . 205 AsthmA. ^ ... . 216 Intestinal Indigestion ........ 234 Food Classification . . . . . 253 Cooking Hints 260 Books That Teach The Alsaker Way To Health and Efficiency Curing Catarrh, Coughs and Colds By Mail $3.00 Getting Rid of Rheumatism " " 3.00 Dieting Diabetes and Bright's Disease " " 3.00 Curing Constipation and Appendicitis " " 3.00 Conquering Consumption " " 3.00 Curing Diseases of Heart and Arteries " " 3.00 How to Cure Headaches " " 3.00 How to Live on 3 Meals a Day " " 2.00 Maintaining Health " " 3.75 Eating for Health and Effi- ciency, 5 Volumes " " 10.00 GRANT PUBLISHING COMPANY, Inc. 1133 Broadway, New York Distributors and Publishers of the Alsaker Books, and other Inspirational, Business and Health Books by Standard Authors CURING CATARRH, COUGHS AND COLDS Facing Some Facts For seven years there has been be- fore the public a book containing a few more than one hundred pages, en- titled, "Curing Catarrh, Coughs and Colds." This book has been very kindly received, thousands of copies having been distributed to all parts of the world. Many readers have writ- ten to the author and to the publishers expressing their appreciation for benefits received. Some have told of the sense of smell or hearing regained. Many have written with delight of their freedom from the annoying catarrhal discharges, after they had given up hope of cure. 7 CURING CATARRH, Now there is a demand for a more complete discussion of this subject, and the author, urged by the pub- lishers, will try to make this a more useful book than the small one that preceded it, under the same title. In writing a work of this kind it is very easy to use technical expressions, but that curtails the usefulness of such a book. It is easy to use the so-called scientific jargon of one's trade or craft. It is more difficult to convey the facts in language so common and clear that the unprofessional reader does not have to resort too often to the dictionary. But as the object of both author and publishers is to reveal help- ful thought and place useful truth be- fore the public, I shall adhere to a simple, clear mode of expression. Most of the highly organized trades, 8 COUGHS AND COLDS crafts and arts have their peculiar codes. The medical profession has its code of ethics, which on the surface seems a thing of beauty and joy, but it is a very peculiar instrument. At least, it has been construed to mean that physicians are not to publish the truth to the public. Looking into this matter from the standpoints of esthetics, true ethics and higher mo- rality it is very difficult to find justi- fication for such an attitude. If we, through the study and the practice of the healing art, become expert and learn superior health truths, it is not only our right to make these truths public-it is our duty to do so. The public suffers from our mistakes; it is only just that the same public should have full benefit of any light that we can give. 9 CURING CATARRH, Who supports us as professional men? The public. To whom is our first allegiance due ? To those who support us. No trade, no craft, no art needs a higher code of ethics than the Golden Rule. There is no higher human code. No human being needs to apologize for his life if he has been of great serv- ice. As health is the foundation on which lasting success in life is built, the work of helping the public to at- tain improved health is its own justi- fication. During the years that my books have been in circulation I have re- ceived much commendation and some condemnation. One of the chief criti- cisms of the catarrh book has been: "There is nothing new in that book. I have always known it." 10 COUGHS AND COLDS If the reader in the future is tempted to write that to the pub- lishers, let said reader tell the pub- lishers at the same time the name of any other book giving this systema- tized knowledge. Also, let said reader remember that if he has always known this, he has shown great weakness in not living his knowledge. This knowl- edge put into practice prevents catarrh. But why should there be anything new in this book? What is needed is sincere understanding and application of old truths. All fundamental truths are old. The laws of nature work to- day as they worked ten thousand years ago. The same sun that gilded the Tower of Babel smiles on the Wool- worth Building. The same moon that shed its pale light on Antony and 11 CURING CATARRH, Cleopatra smiles on the couples spoon- ing at night on the upper deck of the Fifth Avenue busses. The earth, the moon, the sun and the stars are coursing through the vast depths of space in obedience to the same laws that ruled them when the human race had not begun. The basic facts of life are today what they were yesterday, last cen- tury, a thousand years ago and in the time that Egypt was building her vast pyramids. The facts of life are not new, but the human understanding changes. As the mind of man becomes more illuminated, more and more truth is apprehended and comprehended. The truth is a liberator. When an indi- vidual grasps his rightful share of 12 COUGHS AND COLDS truth and puts it to use in his life he frees himself from disease. Those who wish to rid themselves of catarrh should not look for novelties. They should search for the truth, and when they find it they should make it their own by living it. We are not attempting to place be- fore the public a book exploiting some passing fad. "Curing Catarrh, Coughs and Colds" was the first book dealing with this subject that gave a clear, comprehensive, workable plan for conquering this trouble, without at- tempting to exploit any fads, fancies and fallacies. The policy in this en- larged version will remain the same. During my first year in medical col- lege I had a very brilliant original idea. I was so pleased with it that I reduced it to writing, knowing that, 13 CURING CATARRH, later the world would be happy to re- ceive it. A few months later I was reading some of the writings of Hippocrates, a gentleman who lived several centuries before the Christian Era. Great was my shock when I dis- covered that Hippocrates had pub- lished this brilliant original idea of mine, over two thousand years ago, using my words almost verbatim, with- out consulting me! That cured me of claiming novelty for my ideas. Basic truth is eternal. Another serious objection to the book has been that, "I have tried it and it does not work." I do not doubt the sincerity of those who make this objection. As explained in the body of the book, if catarrhal disorders have progressed so far that the tissues of the body are badly degenerated, there 14 COUGHS AND COLDS is seldom complete regeneration, and hence no complete cure. But the knowledge between these covers will result in cures in at least nine out of ten cases of catarrh, if it is intelli- gently and persistently used. This is a frank and intimate book. Why should it not be? What is more intimate than one's health? You will find many personal experiences from my own work. That is necessary, for I have only my own work to draw from. The names of the cases are not given for obvious reasons, and in two or three instances I have altered the occupations of the patients so that no one in my own city can recognize them. Otherwise the stories are true to life. My reason for giving these personal stories is that they are the most helpful items in teaching health truths. Some 15 CURING CATARRH, will object that I am attempting to display myself as a superior sort of a physician. I make no claims for my- self, but the system which gives us good results is far superior to the old system which produced no results. In an extensive professional experience I have never cured anybody of anything, but a multitude of individuals who were supposed to be incurable have re- covered under my care. Why? Be- cause I educated them to live in harmony with the laws of nature, and nature did the curing. It is just as Pare used to say some hundreds of years ago: "God healed them." There is no curative power in me. There is no healing power in any doc- tor, or in any individual of any creed or color. There is a law running through 16 COUGHS AND COLDS human life that those are healthy who deserve to be well. This is the law that I expound, and that is the reason that my advice has been requested by peo- ple on every continent of our globe. The reason that I have been able to help so many is that I realize my own unimportance, but at the same time comprehend the importance of the great natural law that rules our lives. To illustrate why some think these teachings do not work, let us see what happened to a gentleman who came to me in the fall of 1923. He was over fifty years of age. This was his tale: "I have for years been a reader of your books. I have not only read them, but I have used them for holiday presents. But the books don't seem to help me to overcome my catarrh." 17 CURING CATARRH, "Have you followed the directions?" I inquired. "Yes," he asserted. "What have you been in the habit of eating?" I asked. "For breakfast we generally have fruit, cooked cereal with sugar and cream, bacon, eggs and toast; for lunch I generally take a glass of milk, a ham sandwich and a piece of pie; for dinner our plan is meat, bread, potatoes, sometimes a salad, sometimes a cooked summer vegetable and always a made dessert." I curiously inquired if he had found an eating plan like that outlined in any of my books. He admitted that he had not. He further informed me that he never exercised, that he took no meas- ures to maintain an active skin and a 18 COUGHS AND COLDS free circulation-in fact, he took no health precautions whatever. "At first you said that you followed direction in my books," I commented. "After thinking it over, did you ever observe any of the rules and regula- tions in those books?" "I never did," he admitted. "But your books have so many cheerful human touches that I enjoy reading them," he added. Then both of us laughed. He engaged me to help him to re- gain his lost health. We put into prac- tice such knowledge as you will find expounded in this volume. Six weeks later he was so improved that he could smell, something he had been unable to do for several years. He continued to live right and made a good recovery. Under the heading of Chronic Catarrh 19 CURING CATARRH, you will find out how this gentleman conquered his catarrh. Of course, my teachings were worth- less to him so long as he did not live them. He did not mean to misrepre- sent or prevaricate, but he was careful not to apply any of the teachings until he had personal supervision! To show how effective the teachings in this book are-when they are lived -let us have the tale of a gentleman who was very ill when he was seventy years old. On account of his age, a nervous breakdown, a subnormal heart and deranged kidneys with other ills, his doctors informed the family that he could not live another month. Then the family had the happy thought that inasmuch as he was doomed it would do no harm to call me! We stopped using medicines, and we began to smile 20 COUGHS AND COLDS occasionally, and we refused to "yield to the inevitable." We gave nature a chance. Six months later the gentleman was regularly attending to his business again. But what has this to do with catarrh? Listen to the patient's own words: "When I was ten years old I hurt my head, and although I do not re- member about catarrh previous to that, I have had it ever since. As it has been with me for sixty years I thought it would remain with me to the end. But as I have been recovering in other ways I have noticed that my catarrh has been vanishing. At the end of six months it had cleared up so completely that sometimes I would go an entire fore- noon without soiling a handkerchief. 21 CURING CATARRH, Now, at the end of nine months, I am not aware of any catarrh." Yes, the truth between these covers is effective when it is lived. Within the past year a singer came tome. She told me this tale: "I have had some of your books for years, and some of my best friends have been patrons of yours. I do what your books say, but I don't get the desired results." She too thought that she was stating the truth. The young woman had enlarged tonsils, pharyngitis and laryngitis. For years she had had nasal catarrh, which was very annoying because the secretions trickled into her throat. Her sense of smell was almost absent. Her high notes had vanished, and one had to be more than gracious to com- pliment her singing in the lower reg- 22 COUGHS AND COLDS ister. She was impatient for results, almost to the point of hysteria. Finally I told her that if she did not intend to give nature a chance it was useless to come to me. Then she be- gan to cooperate in the right spirit. Within two months she largely re- gained her sense of smell, also ability to use her high notes; she also over- came most of the discharge from the nose in that time. She had no treat- ment, but she received personal edu- cation in the correct mode of living. My teachings did not work in her case either, until she started to follow them; and so it is with most of those who write and say that these teachings do not work. The knowledge is in the book, but I can't drive it into the mind of the readers as I do with those who come to me for personal direction. 23 CURING CATARRH, Catarrhal conditions weaken the whole body; they tend to produce other kinds of ill health; they often are the foundation on which other dangerous illness is built; they fre- quently are the chief cause of pre- mature death. Many pay little or no attention to catarrh because it does not seem to be immediately danger- ous. That is a great mistake, for ca- tarrh undermines the constitution. In most cases catarrh is curable, Ointments, salves and internal medi- cation often give temporary ease, but these agents do not cure. Catarrh is a reflection of internal wrongs. To eradicate the trouble it is necessary to restore the general health -to improve the quality of the blood. Wherever there is mucous mem- 24 COUGHS AND COLDS brane there can be catarrhal mani- festations. It is impossible to go into detail about catarrh in every location. It is catarrh no matter where it mani- fests. And it yields to right living whether it is localized in the eyes, the nose, the throat, the stomach, the in- testines or the bladder. The funda- mental treatment is the same. The local treatments sometimes are sooth- ing; they often relieve, but they can- not cure. The real cure for catarrh is to live so as to produce a stream of pure blood, which will in time build a healthy body, including healthy mucous membrane. To get the full benefit due you from this book, do not read only the little item that you think fits your case. 25 CURING CATARRH, Read the entire book. By all means read the articles on Acute Catarrh and Chronic Catarrh and the chapter of cooking hints. 26 CURING CATARRH, COUGHS AND COLDS PART I The Respiratory Apparatus The diseases which will be discussed in this volume are localized chiefly in the respiratory or breathing apparatus. Colds or catarrhs may manifest in any mucous membrane, but the lungs and the passages leading thereto are the most common sites. The first part of the air passages is the nasal cavities. The nose is divided into two cavities by the central parti- tion (nasal septum). These cavities are very irregular structures into which open recesses and large and small cells. 27 CURING CATARRH, All parts of these cavities are lined with mucous membrane. This mem- brane keeps itself moist and lubricates itself in health by secreting mucus. When the mucus-secreting function is perverted, the mucous membrane se- cretes either too much or too little mucus, or it secretes mucus of poor quality. On account of the many nooks, corners and cells in the nasal cavities the mucus sometimes is not drained off but is left in some cell or cells, where it decomposes. This produces bad odor-the trouble is called ozena. Ozena can not estab- lish itself in healthy individuals, but once it has taken firm hold it may per- sist even after the individual has re- gained health. We should always inhale through the nose, because the nasal cavities 28 COUGHS AND COLDS warm the air, remove dust and other irritating matters from it, and moisten it, thus making the air fit to enter the lungs. It makes no special difference whether one exhales through the nose or through the mouth, but the inhala- tion should be through the nose. After the nose comes the pharynx, commonly called the throat. This is the common passage for food, water and air. Into the pharynx opens the larynx or voice box. When this becomes in- flamed we have the troublesome ill called laryngitis. Below the larynx is a large tube, the trachea, usually called the windpipe. At the base of the neck the trachea branches into two large tubes, called the right and left bronchial tubes. These tubes give off many branches, 29 CURING CATARRH, which divide and subdivide, until the lungs appear much like the top of a tree turned upside down. At the end of the finest air tubes are the air cells. These cells are made up of fine mucous membrane struc- ture. On one side is the air that we inhale and on the other side of the membrane is a beautiful, lace-like net- work of tiny blood-vessels. The blood in these vessels is impure, containing various kinds of waste, and especially carbonic acid gas. The blood gives up its carbonic acid gas, which passes through the membrane of the air cells and is exhaled; in exchange the blood takes oxygen out of the inhaled air, which passes inward through the mu- cous membrane and is taken up by the blood-stream. The blood goes back to the heart with its load of life-giving 30 COUGHS AND COLDS oxygen, and the heart sends it to all parts of the body. This blood purification in the lungs is a wonderful process, and it is a very vital one; if it stops life ceases. This is why we are so insistent on ventilation at night. Breathing impure air fills the body with poisons and wastes and depresses the vital functions. We can live several weeks without food; we can live several days without water; but we can only live about five minutes without air. You can see how important it is for us to breathe properly, and in order to breathe properly one must keep the breathing apparatus in fine condition. Those who have colds, catarrhs, ade- noids and bronchitis cannot breathe properly. It is not difficult to keep the lungs 31 CURING CATARRH, and air passages in good condition and it is worth a great deal more than the efforts we have to make. All we have to do is to live according to the laws of Nature. In other words, if we be- have ourselves Nature keeps the breathing apparatus in fine condition. Miscellaneous Information The ills that we shall deal with in this volume are very closely related, and they are very common. People suffer needlessly and die prematurely on account of these diseases. Almost all individuals have a touch of them from time to time, and some suffer at all times from one or more of them. And still it is easy to prevent or cure them. The word cold is a misnomer. 'Catching cold" is a misleading phrase. 32 COUGHS AND COLDS What is known as a cold is really a fever with local inflammation varying from mild to severe. Usually the tem- perature of the body does not rise very high, but when the cold is severe there may be several degrees of fever. The cold manifests in the mucous mem- brane, but it is not a disease of the mucous membrane; the mucous mem- brane manifestations are only symp- toms. A cold is a disease of the blood and digestive organs. To be more ex- plicit, it is an indication that the di- gestion and the blood are deranged. It is generally believed that expo- sure to cold, damp air or to draughts will cause colds. This is not the real cause. The body has to be prepared for a cold through improper living- the way has to be paved for it-and then exposure to the rigors of the cli- 33 CURING CATARRH, mate or dampness may be the trigger that sets off the cold. Those who keep their digestive organs and their blood- stream in good condition never de- velop colds. Periodical colds are easy to prevent. Catarrh may affect any part of the body that is lined with mucous mem- brane. So we have catarrh of the nose, throat, air passages leading to the lungs, and even catarrh of the lungs themselves; of the stomach, bowels, gall duct and gall bladder; of the uri- nary bladder; and of the ears and the eyes. This is only a partial list. But catarrh, no matter where located, is one and the same thing. Acute catarrh is generally known as a cold. To clarify matters we shall in this volume refer to acute catarrh as cold, and to chronic catarrh simply as 34 COUGHS AND COLDS catarrh. Chronic catarrh is a low grade of inflammation of the mucous membrane, covering a long period of time. In fact some have it from the cradle to the grave, and it is often a great aid in bringing death. It helps to reduce the resistance in many cases so that pneumonia and tuberculosis get a foothold. The cheering part is that almost every case of catarrh is curable. Hay fever is a form of catarrh. Those who wish to get rid of this nui- sance can do so, and they do not have to travel to accomplish it. They can cure themselves of hay fever right in their own homes, without fooling with serums made of pollen or such non- sense. Let them live as directed later on in this volume and they will become so healthy that the mucous membrane 35 CURING CATARRH, of the nose will not cause them any trouble. Asthma is generally due to lung ir- ritation that is at least partly catar- rhal in nature. It is usually based on indigestion and acidity of the system, covering a long period of time, and it is a curable disease. It requires right knowledge and will power to overcome it. Those who live as advocated in this, book will not have asthma. The form of asthma usually called cardiac asthma, which is due to a bad heart, is not always curable. If the heart dis- ease gets well the asthma gets well, but if the heart disease persists so does the asthma. To take drugs for asthma is foolish. Acute bronchitis is a form of cold. To avoid the risk of prolonged and serious disease, it should be treated 36 COUGHS AND COLDS with a fast, as directed under the treat- ment for quickly curing colds. Chronic bronchitis, which is gener- ally looked upon as incurable, is chronic catarrh localizing in the bron- chial tubes. Those who learn to live as they should get rid of it almost 100 times in 100 cases. There may be a few cases where the body is so weak and debilitated and the bronchial tubes so degenerated that no recovery can take place, but these are the rare ex- ceptions. Chronic bronchitis is at times very stubborn. But the only dif- ficulty I have had in leading these pa- tients back to health is that they are often advanced in age and do not want to change their ways. Then the proper thing to do is to let them live in the old way and suffer in the old way, or 37 CURING CATARRH, let them take their pain-killers, which often prove to be body-killers. Catarrh of the stomach is due to ir- ritation coming from improper eating. The remedy is obvious. Under the natural treatment these patients soon recover. Catarrh of the bowels shows that the individual eats and drinks wrong. The form known as mucous colitis is chronic catarrh of the large intestine. It is also looked upon as incurable. I have had cases yield in less than a month, and then again I have seen cases that refused to yield completely in spite of the best of care and the most careful living. Correct living of- fers the only reasonable hope of a cure. Catarrh of the ears IS usually an ex- tension of colds and catarrhs of the nose and throat. The Eustachian tubes 38 COUGHS AND COLDS extend from the throat to the ears. These tubes become swollen and in- flamed and the ears are affected. Ca- tarrhal deafness is quite common. In the beginning every case can be cured without giving any local treatments. Get rid of the bad physical condition underlying the catarrh of the ear and the hearing will be restored. But al- low the condition to continue for sev- eral years and the hearing may be per- manently lost. Whenever the Eusta- chian tubes are inflamed the hearing deteriorates. Catarrh of the gall ducts is due to improper eating, followed by irritation of these ducts. The result is bad com- plexion and poor color of the eyeballs. Sometimes the patient becomes green- ish or yellowish in color, and this con- dition we call jaundice. Correct the 39 CURING CATARRH, eating and the jaundice corrects itself. Nearly every case of catarrh can re- cover, and on the average it takes only a few months. It is not necessary to travel or change climate to rid the sys- tem of catarrh. It is as easy to get rid of catarrh in New York and Illinois as it is in Arizona and Colorado. Those who live in the fine climates of the West know that catarrh is about as prevalent there as elsewhere. It is sur- prising how soon correct living will overcome all symptoms of catarrh in the average individual. The vast majority of our population suffers from colds and catarrhs. I wonder how long people would handi- cap themselves in this way if they realized how easily and quickly they can overcome the condition. There is nothing mysterious or diffi- 40 COUGHS AND COLDS cult about it. Read on and learn how to rid the body of this nuisance. The best part of it is that in getting rid of habitual colds and catarrhs the individ- ual puts his body into such splendid condition that he will not develop other diseases. And so far as germs are con- cerned, they are present, but they do not cause colds and catarrhs. Sickness is a bad habit, not a neces- sity. To demonstrate how easy it is to get away from colds and catarrhs, espe- cially in early life, I shall tell you about a young man. He was about twenty-one years old and had suffered with catarrh from the time of birth. He had catarrh all the time, and dur- ing the winter months it was custom- ary for him to have severe colds. What money he could spare he invested in 41 CURING CATARRH, catarrh cures, treatments by special- ists and nasal operations. Whenever he got a few dollars ahead the special- ists would discover that he needed an operation to correct some ill in the nose. In spite of change of climate and constant medicating and medical at- tention the young man grew worse. In his case the sure cures did not cure. At last it dawned upon him that operations and medicines are no part of the natural game of life. The young man learned how to take care of him- self and especially how and what to eat. Within a month his nose cleared up and he has not suffered from ca- tarrh since. During the past five years he has not been ill in any way and he has not even had a cold. He is now in splendid health and he knows 42 COUGHS AND COLDS how to live so as to remain healthy. He is doing good work and has out- distanced his former companions in ac- complishments. This has been made possible through the mental acuteness that comes with good health. He has trained himself into health and effi- ciency and is traveling the road of Suc- cess. His old catarrh not only clogged up his nose and gave him poor physi- cal health, but it partly clogged his mind. I could tell you about many similar instances. Those who are determined to make a successful journey on life's road must have health, and no one is healthy who has catarrh! But it is easy to get rid of catarrh. Right knowledge and the determina- tion to put the knowledge into practice will accomplish the feat. 43 CURING CATARRH, It works in infancy and in ad- vanced years. It may be well to illus- trate by relating a recent incident. A few months ago, on the same day, a baby not quite one year old, and a gentleman of sixty-eight years came for personal consultation. Both were troubled with persistent nasal ca- tarrh, cough and rattling in the chest denoting bronchitis. Baby Jean had had this condition over a month. Mr. W. complained that it had been grow- ing worse for several years. Upon investigation it was found that Baby Jean vomited after most of her meals, which still consisted mostly of milk. She also vomited when given orange juice in the water. Cheesy curds passed through the bowels. The little girl had feedings of seven ounces of milk with two ounces of water 44 COUGHS AND COLDS added, at each meal. The mother could not understand what could be wrong, for she was so careful of the child. This was the explanation given to the mother: The curds in the bowels show that the child cannot digest all of the milk taken. The vomiting after meals indicates that the stomach ob- jects to the quantity of food given at one time. The tongue is white with red spots, instead of being smooth and pink, which shows that the stomach and other parts of the digestive tract are upset. In other words, the baby's digestive organs are overworked. What is a reasonable procedure? To give these organs a partial rest. On that basis, we temporarily re- duced each feeding to four ounces of 45 CURING CATARRH, milk mixed with two ounces of water, and kept the feedings four hours apart during the day and gave nothing but water at night. Twice a day we gave two teaspoonfuls of orange juice in the drinking wrater. Instead of let- ting the child drink unlimited amounts of water at a time, we kept the quan- tity down to six ounces each time water was demanded. What were the results? The vomit- ing stopped immediately. Within four days no more curds could be found in the stools. Within eleven days the catarrhal condition had sub- sided, and the most careful chest ex- amination failed to reveal any further sign of bronchitis. The mother was instructed to in- crease the feeding very gradually, and if the child in the future shows an ex- 46 COUGHS AND COLDS cessive discharge of mucus, curds in the stools, or a tendency to vomit, the mother will know that it is time to give the baby's digestive organs a partial rest. Children in condition like that usually continue to be overfed, and as a result they long remain ill, and often die after suffering for several months* A little good science plus some good sense will preserve such lives. Let us leave infancy and return to Mr. W. He was quite dubious about such treatment, but a friend had re- ceived such great benefits that he de- cided to give the matter a good trial. He watched the baby with great inter- est and astonishment. It was difficult for him to realize that a child's health could be restored by reducing the feed- ing to a point where the digestive organs could do full duty. But the 47 CURING CATARRH, baby's rapid recovery convinced him that "there must be something in it." Mr. W. was over six feet tall, weighed over 230 pounds, had a pro- truding abdomen and could with diffi- culty climb stairs and hills. He had created a great organization which made and sold a product that is known all over the civilized world. But he found that as his waist line increased and his breathing capacity diminished, his mental capacity was growing less. He had for years been eating three meals a day, consuming meat two or three times daily. He enjoyed heavy breakfasts, bounteous lunches, and large dinners. But he preferred health to incorrect eating. He was informed that his catarrh, colds and bronchitis were due to auto- 48 COUGHS AND COLDS intoxication, and that the autointoxi- cation was chiefly caused by an over- consumption of sweets, meats and starches, and an underconsumption of fresh vegetables. He was further told that he was eating excessive quantities of food, for he was eating as much when he was nearing seventy as he did at the age of twenty-five. Those who desire fine health cannot eat as much after the age of thirty as they did before, especially if they grow prosperous and decrease their phys- ical activity. Age does not need as much food as youth does. So Mr. W. started to exercise a lit- tle. He ate less of meat, bread, pota- toes and sweets. He partook more lib- erally of fresh berries, melons, fresh fruits and the succulent vegetables. In less than ten days he found his breath- 49 CURING CATARRH, ing improved. Within a month he lost fifteen pounds and while so doing gained strength. He also lost his cough and quit worrying about his chest. Within two months he was weigh- ing 200 pounds, the catarrh and bron- chitis had vanished, and the gentleman announced that he had not felt so well for years. The results here given are not un- usual. Children, when correctly treated, yield rapidly. Not all get as quick results as did Baby Jean, how- ever. Older individuals yield more slowly. Not everybody can overcome bron- chitis of years' standing, but most of them can. A few can get rid of it quickly. However, those who are past the age of fifty and have had the 50 COUGHS AND COLDS trouble for several years should not ex- pect to overcome it short of several months. It is useless to waste time trying to overcome this ill through the use of medicine. Nature heals when we live so that all the internal organs are kept pure and clean, and this can be accomplished by eating and drinking right, exercising enough to keep the circulation normal, and maintaining the elimination of the body-from lungs, skin, kidneys and bowels. 51 CURING CATARRH, Cause of Colds Anything that irritates or weakens the mucous membrane may in the end cause a cold. Those who are very care- less about their manner of living inva- riably suffer for their errors. It may require weeks, months or even years to reduce the physical resistance so that troublesome diseases can establish themselves in the body, but improper living alwavs results in physical dis- aster. Why some persons contract one dis- ease and others suffer from a different ill, when they make about the same mistakes, we do not know. But we do know that all have a vulnerable spot or perhaps several weak points, and here disease localizes when we deviate too much from the normal. If the mu- 52 COUGHS AND COLDS cons membrane is the weak spot, then colds and catarrhs are generally the abnormal conditions that ensue. There are many factors that cause colds. The most important one is im- proper eating. Of late years we have been informed that germs are the cause. If bacteria really are the cause of colds, we could never be rid of colds, for the bacteria that we find in colds are with us always-like the poor. But the truth is that the bac- teria, though present, have nothing to do with the colds. We can forget about the germs, for if we keep the body well balanced and the blood sweet and clean and the digestive tract in good order there will be no colds. Most colds are due to gastro-in- testinal (digestive tract) disturbances springing from improper eating. The 53 CURING CATARRH, colds may come from eating too much of protein, sugar, starch or fat. They may be due to undermastication, com- bining too many foods, eating too fre- quently, eating too much meat, eating when nothing should be taken, as in times of great excitement, worry and weariness. They are usually due to overeating of concentrated foods, tak- ing so much of them that the digestion is unable to cope with the excess; then the food goes into abnormal fermenta- tion, which produces poisons that ir- ritate the entire body, after being ab- sorbed by the blood. Some of the ir- ritation is borne by the mucous mem- brane, which is compelled to secrete an excess of mucus to relieve the annoy- ance. When a baby shows signs of a cold immediately after birth it is usually 54 COUGHS AND COLDS because the mother has eaten too much during the period of pregnancy. When the child has a cold a week or ten days after birth it is generally be- cause it is fed too much or too fre- quently. Sometimes it is due to poisonous matters coming from the mother's blood. Nine times out of ten children with colds are overfed. These children often have skin erup- tions in addition to the colds. When babies are fed so much that the skin, kidneys, bowels and lungs can not rid the system of the excessive impurities the mucous membrane of the head is pressed into service. If the supply of poison in the blood is still too great the skin may become so irritated that in- flammation ensues and then we have external eruptions. It is a very simple process and any 55 CURING CATARRH, one can understand it. When it is un- derstood it can be prevented. The children are fed improperly, generally too often and too much. The result is indigestion. Indigestion always produces toxic (poisonous) matters in the digestive tract. Some of these poisonous liquids and gases are ab- sorbed into the blood. When a great excess of them enters the blood-stream all the tissues of the body are irritated. The system tries to excrete these ma- terials by the natural excretory chan- nels, and failing in this presses the mu- cous membrane into service for extra excretory work. The toxic matters are so irritating that they cause in- flammation of the mucous membranes, which in self-defense excrete an excess of mucus to soothe the irritated parts. And this process we call a cold. 56 COUGHS AND COLDS It is normal and natural for all mu- cous membranes to secrete mucus to moisten and lubricate their own sur- faces. Mucus is an albuminous lubri- cant, which should be secreted in suf- ficient quantities to keep the mucous membranes in good condition, but the excretion of large quantities of mucus is abnormal. The same condition which manifests in excessive secretion of mucus also results in enlargement of lymphatic glands and lymphatic vessels, so we find children suffering from the catar- rhal state with enlarged tonsils, ade- noids and enlarged lymphatic glands in the neck. The cold may be referred to as of the nose, of the head or of the throat, but the causes are the same. Less common causes of colds are ir- 57 CURING CATARRH, ritations due to mechanical irritants, excessive heat and chemical agents. Breathing of poisonous gases or va- porized liquids may result in colds. Colds and even pneumonia may result from the administration of chloroform and ether. Any kind of dust may irritate the mucous membrane enough to produce a cold, if the physical resistance is low. ■Miner's and marblecutter's consump- tion is largely due to the excess of dust in the air. First this irritates the respi- ratory passages, producing excess of mucus secretion. After a while the irritated and overworked mucous membrane is weakened and then it is a favorable site for serious disease to develop. Tuberculosis often results. It is first irritation, then inflammation and then ulceration. 58 COUGHS AND COLDS In the same way excessive heat or cold will produce irritation of the mu- cous membrane, resulting in a cold. Some people take cold and suffer for weeks and even months. The win- ter is the favorite time for protracted colds. These colds are luxuries easily dispensed with. Constant breathing of impure air is a great aid in catching cold, for it pre- vents the entry of sufficient oxygen into the blood. Then the internal com- bustion is not as complete as it should be and the result is the retention of toxic matters within the body. Those who fail to eat fresh fruits and vegetables also get into a toxic condition. They overeat of the con- centrated staple foods, such as cured meats, refined sugars, cereals, espe- cially white flour products, and fats, 59 CURING CATARRH, all of which are comparatively poor in the salts that are essential for physi- cal welfare. These salts are found in abundance in whole wheat products, raw fruits and raw vegetables, and in the fresh milk that has not been cooked. Cooking destroys some of the saltp so that the body is unable to use them. Also, in cooking vegetables and draining them, a large portion of the salts is lost. Anything that lowers physical re- sistance increases the tendency to have colds. Tea, tobacco, coffee, alcohol, worry, anger, jealousy, sexual excess, prolonged exposure to heat, cold or moisture, overwork, fatigue, laziness, close housing and too warm clothing are some of the factors that produce colds, but improper eating is by far the most important cause. 60 COUGHS AND COLDS Draughts are often given as the cause, and it is common for people to say that they caught cold in church, theater or cars. This is impossible if the body is in good condition. How- ever, a draught or exposure will lessen the amount of blood in the vessels near the surface of the body, driving the blood into the internal organs. In a toxic condition of the body this may be all that is necessary to produce a cold, but the foundation must have been laid previously. Please remember that improper eat- ing, especially overeating of concen- trated foods, is the greatest single fac- tor in producing colds. Instead of being caught through exposure or draughts, colds are usually taken at the table. We eat ourselves into colds. Those who keep themselves in good 61 CURING CATARRH, physical condition can meet the ordi- nary vicissitudes of life and expose themselves to germs and they will not "catch cold." Dampness and draughts will not have any evil effects on them. Eat properly and prevent colds. Symptoms of Colds The symptoms vary with the loca- tion of the cold, but it is not very im- portant to draw an exact picture of this trouble, for everybody knows what colds are. If the eyes are affected they water and are sensitive to light. If the frontal sinuses (cavities in the bones above the eye sockets) are affected there is headache. If the trouble is chiefly in the nose sneezing and head- 62 COUGHS AND COLDS ache are usually early symptoms. If there is no headache there is a feeling of oppression or dullness. The mu- cous membrane becomes red and swol- len. At first the discharge is watery and irritating, and later thick and even purulent in character. In severe cases the nasal ducts are closed and the tears flow down the cheeks. As the sense of taste is largely de- pendent on the sense of smell, foods lose much of their savor while colds in the head last. The sense of smell is much affected, sometimes being sup- pressed. In severe cases fever blisters (labial herpes) are common. The mucous membrane may be so swollen that nasal breathing is difficult or im- possible. In laryngeal colds there is cough. 63 CURING CATARRH, Bronchial colds (colds on the chest) are accompanied with oppressive breathing, deep cough and expulsion of mucus. In colds of the throat the hearing is usually affected. The Eustachian tubes are more or less closed and this impairs the hearing. Severe colds are generally preceded by headache and soreness or pain in back and limbs. Chills are common, followed by fever, which is usually not high. The gastro-intestinal symptoms are usually those accompanying a mild fever, that is, partial suppression of the secretion of the glands which pro- duce digestive and lubricating fluids. That is why constipation is so common in this condition. Diagnosis presents no difficulty. The patient does his own diagnosing. 64 COUGHS AND COLDS The outcome is always favorable under proper treatment. However, if the treatment is incorrect, as it usu- ally is, the cold may last for weeks and even months, and it may be the starting-point of other ills which may destroy life. Those who have been subject to colds and catarrh are easily affected by pneumonia and tuberculo- sis after the colds have lasted long. The chronic state of inflammation weakens the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, and then it is easy for disease to localize here. When a cold is neglected or poorly treated, the result is frequently chronic catarrh. Those who are subject to fre- quent colds often develop chronic ca- tarrh, chronic bronchitis or some other respiratory disease. 65 CURING CATARRH, Treatment of Colds The usual treatment is medical, the idea being to suppress the outflow of mucus and to stop the cough. This is wrong and may result in great in- jury to the patient, or even in death. If the system is so full of poisons that they can not all escape through their natural channels, the proper way is to treat the body so that it ceases manu- facturing excessive amounts of poi- sons, and at the same time allow the body to rid itself of the impurities al- ready in the system. By suppressing the flow of mucus by means of reme- dies that constrict the mucous mem- brane we lock the toxins up within the system. If they are not allowed to escape they invariably cause trouble. A filthy body can not properly per- 66 COUGHS AND COLDS form its functions and if it is pre- vented from showing its abnormality- in one way it will find another. The two favorite remedies at pres- ent are quinine and opium in some form. The quinine is the less ob- jectionable of the two, but it does not produce good results and it some- times injures the hearing. The opi- ates suppress the secretion not only of the mucous membrane of the respira- tory tract, but of the digestive tract as well. Result: The constipation, which is usually present, is made worse, and the impurities in the system are re- tained. Cathartics are usually given. The intestinal tract should be thor- oughly cleaned out, but this can not be done efi*ectively while opiates are given. We have briefly touched upon the 67 CUBING CATARRH, usual treatment, which is not good. Let us discuss the correct, natural treatment, which brings good results and which is not followed by complica- tions. The proper Treatment is to cleanse the system. When a cold appears, give a laxative and wash out the colon with a warm water enema. Repeat until the alimentary canal is open and free from waste, but it is not necessary or advisable to use drastic cathartics. Any mild cathartic will do, such as cas- tor oil, milk of magnesia, citrate of magnesia, your favorite salts, mineral water, cascara sagrada, or other mild cathartics. In order to relieve the engorged mu- cous membrane and to make the skin active, the sufferer should take a pro- longed hot bath, using the water as 68 COUGHS AND COLDS hot as he can bear it. The bath may last from twenty minutes to an hour. During the bath, let the ventilation be good, and give all the water that is de- sired to drink, either warm or cold. Warm water will aid to establish per- spiration, and is therefore preferable, if there are signs of faintness, drink cold water and apply cloths wrung out of cold water to the forehead. After the bath wrap up well, preferably in woolen garments, until the perspira- tion ceases. A blanket makes a good wrap. When the perspiration stops, dry the body well, using considerable friction, or sponge off with cool water and dry the skin. Then remain in bed seven or eight hours. Such treatment, if used in the very beginning, will break up what threatens to be a severe and prolonged 69 CURING CATARRH, cold. The earlier it is applied the more effective it is. Those who like to take Turkish baths or prolonged steam baths or treatment in a hot-room, may do so. The object is in all cases to equalize the circulation, to bring much blood to the skin and to induce perspiration. Half-measures do no good. It is necessary to apply much heat and to remain in the heat long enough to pro- duce a free flow of perspiration. A thorough application of heat until the perspiration freely pours out will often stop an attack of pneumonia in the early stages, that is, within a few hours of the onset. Some prefer to apply hot greasy substances, such as lard or oil, to the chest. There is no objection to this. Strips of flannel may be wrung out 70 COUGHS AND COLDS of hot oil and then wrapped around the chest; apply dry covering over this to retain the heat. Be careful not to burn the patient. Hot water or hot air are not quite so dangerous as hot oily substances. The principle is to get the surface of the body warm and keep it that way long enough to open the pores and bring about free per- spiration. The manner of doing this is of minor importance. This treatment is very effective in mild cases of colds, but is usually not resorted to unless the cases are severe. In order to be sure of quick, depend- able results, no food should be taken until the fever and discomfort of the respiratory tract have subsided. To make this quick and sure treat- ment perfectly easy to understand, we shall tabulate it, and please remember 71 CURING CATARRH, that instructions must be followed to the letter: 1.-Do not neglect the cold, but as soon as you feel it coming on take enough of your favorite laxative to move the bowels freely. 2.-Also take an injection (enema) of tepid water with a little Castile soap dissolved in it. 3.-Take a bath hot enough and protracted enough to produce copious perspiration. If necessary, remain in the bath a full hour. 4.-Before entering the bath, drink all the warm water you can and con- tinue to drink warm water while tak- ing the bath. 5.-After the bath wrap up in woolens and remain wrapped up un- til the perspiration stops. Then either sponge the body off with cool water 72 COUGHS AND COLDS and dry off, or give the skin a thor- ough dry rubbing from neck to feet. 6.-Go to bed and remain there from six to eight hours. Have plenty of fresh air, but no draughts. 7.-Eat absolutely nothing until the cold is thrown off. You can have all the lemon juice you desire, or plain lemonade, but no sugar in it. There is to be no eating of any kind, liquid or solid; take nothing into the stomach except water and, if desired, lemon juice. (I hope the reader will under- stand that I mean nothing but water, with or without the addition of lemon juice.) 8.-Repeat the cathartic and the warm water injection if necessary to get a bowel movement. This is im- portant. If this kind of treatment is insti- 73 CURING CATARRH, tuted just as soon as the cold appears it will rout the cold within twenty-four hours in nearly every case. But there is to be no feeding. Those who allow the cold to get a good hold can break it up in the same way, but the longer it is neglected, the more of this kind of treatment is necessary. This may be looked upon as a severe plan, and perhaps it is, but when car- ried out in the beginning it is always successful. What is best, to undertake this kind of treatment and recover within twenty-four hours, or at the most within two or three days, or act according to the popular plan so that the cold may last for weeks or months ? You can do as you please. Those who carry out this plan will not eat anything until the cold is gone. It seldom requires as long as three 74 COUGHS AND COLDS days to overcome a cold if it is taken in the beginning and these instruc- tions are carried out to the letter. It is a cleansing treatment, for it cleans the bowels, the skin and the respira- tory tract, and in this way it also cleans the blood. I know that there are many repe- titions in these instructions, but if the reader had as much experience with the sick as the writer has, no explana- tions would be deemed necessary. In- stead of apologizing, I shall repeat once more in tabloid form: The best way to cure a cold is to take it in the beginning, produce free per- spiration, thoroughly clean out the di- gestive tract, give all the water desired and a little more, but eat nothing until the cold has disappeared. This information is worth many 75 CURING CATARRH, times the price of this book, and will save thousands of lives every year if put into practice. When the cold is gone, begin to eat again, but do not go back to the old habits that produced the colds. Some like to have their colds longer. They can get fairly good results by keeping the bowels clean and living on a very simple diet, and we shall outline a few diets that will be found elf ective: 1.-Whole wheat toast with butter and glass of milk three times a day. 2.-Juicy fruit three times a day. 3.-Juicy fruit two times a day, and a third meal of milk with or without toast. Buttermilk may be used any time instead of milk. 4.-Juicy fruit once a day; cooked succulent vegetables and raw salad 76 COUGHS AND COLDS vegetables for the second meal; third meal, toast and milk. But those who eat when they are suffering from a cold are not treating themselves right. It is not correct conduct. The right way is to stop eat- ing and keep the bowels clean until the cold vanishes. (This is more repeti- tion.) When the cold is gone, begin to eat in a balanced way. Do better than you did previously and there will be no severe colds. Do the right thing by your body and there will be no colds whatever. It is impossible to retain good health if one par- takes of too much food, or lives almost exclusively on the concentrated staple foods. And this is especially true of those who do indoor work. Those who are in the habit of catching cold 77 CURING CATARRH, may be sure that their mode of living is wrong, otherwise they would not have enough poisons in their bodies to produce inflammation of the mucous membranes with an excessive flow of mucus. Prevention of Colds Colds are not necessary. Those who are determined not to have them can be without them. Correct knowl- edge and will power are the two in- gredients necessary to keep colds away. You will have to supply your own will power. I can supply the knowledge, and then in the small-boy vernacular you can take it or leave it. Colds are practically unknown to those who live the simple life in the open. It is a disease of civilization to suffer with colds. Colds mean that 78 COUGHS AND COLDS our habits of living are so abnormal and unnatural that we must return to more natural living methods in order to enjoy good health. Let us read Nature's book, and learn the few sim- ple means that will prevent colds, as well as other diseases. 1.-In a state of nature man had to gain his bread by the sweat of his brow. This means that he had to undergo a great deal of muscular activity. He not only had to sharpen his wits to cap- ture his food, a large part of which ran about the plains and forests on four legs, but he had to exercise enough to keep his body supple in order to keep from starving. With creaky joints came slowness, and with slowness came lack of food, and then privation and starvation. In ye good days of yore the weak and decrepit were often al* 79 CURING CATARRH, lowed to die because they had served their purpose. With such training in the infancy of the race, our bodies have attained such forms and functions that we must be physically active to remain physically well. So the first point in the prevention of cold-and other ills-is to exercise. Those who live in the cities should take five minutes or more of vigorous exer- cise night and morning, and besides walk two or three miles in the open every day. Those who work with their hands should take corrective ex- ercises to keep their bodies in good condition. Work and exercise are two different things. 2.-As we have already discovered, primitive man had to exercise or starve. In exercising he got deep 80 COUGHS AND COLDS draughts of pure air. In those days the female of the species did not en- cumber her chest and waist and hips with armor (corsets) and she could breathe as well as her lord and master. Deep breathing was the mode in those days, for those short of breath could not prey upon the lower animals, and that meant starvation. The second point in the prevention of colds-and other ills-is to breathe deeply of fresh air. Get as good air as possible. At night leave the win- dows wide open and get the splendid night air which helps to bring to the individual vigor and a clear head in the morning. Those who do office work should take a dozen or more slow, deep breaths morning, noon and night when in the fresh air. If the chest expansion is two inches, increase it to 81 CURING CATARRH, three; when it becomes three inches, increase it to four. Have at least four or five inches of chest expansion before you are satisfied, and then breathe deeply. 3.-In the good old days when the race was young, the white race seems to have been quite ignorant of tea and cofFee. Water seems to have been the beverage. It is true that they brewed beer and turned grapes into wine even in history's dawn, but read the Good Book and learn how one of the early patriarchs disgraced himself, and what a misfortune befell his son and the sons of this son, through imbibing the fermented fruit of the vine. The third important point is that one's drink should be water. At least it should not be a fluid containing 82 COUGHS AND COLDS drugs, as do tea, coffee and alcoholic drinks. 4.-I do not pretend to have delved deeply into the psychology (mode of thinking) of our savage ancestors. If we could transplant a remote ancestor into the present century, I am afraid that most of us would call him a brute and try hard to pluck him from the family tree. It is no longer the mode to beat one's beloved into submission and unconsciousness and drag her to the new home. It is not being done openly in our best families. Research- ers tell us that this was proper in the days of old. So we are compelled to improve on the ancients in this respect. The ten- sion of civilization is so high that those who desire the best of health have to keep the mind well balanced. The 83 CURING CATARRH, high spirits (bad temper) so fashion- able in the novels of the writers who have been gathered to their fathers will not do now. Those who wish the best of health have to avoid violent temper and cultivate mental poise and equanimity. Yes, this is a part of pre- venting colds and avoiding other ills. An unbalanced mind helps to make the body sick. 5.-In the good old days it was rather difficult to get enough clothing. The men wore very little and the ladies could promenade with even lower cut waists and shorter skirts than the styles of recent years allow without being thought immodest. To-day we protect our skin with clothing, and the con- sequence is that it becomes weak and does not properly perform its func- tions. In the olden days the skin pro- 84 COUGHS AND COLDS tected the body. The sun and the rain and the cold beat upon it and made it strong and stimulated it to do its work. The excretory function of the skin is the same to-day as of yore. But when the skin is pampered and protected it does not function as it should. It becomes lazy and a part of the waste is retained in the blood. The remedy is to dress sensibly. Wear no woolens next to the skin. Do not put on so many clothes that the skin stays moist and hot at all times. And give the skin a thorough dry rub- bing with something coarse (coarse towel or flesh brush, for instance) each day. 6.-The most important part of the treatment in overcoming the habit of taking cold is to eat correctly. If space permitted, an entire manual of 85 CURING CATARRH, food preparation would form a part of this book. This is not practicable, so a few important hints regarding food and eating are here given and the reader is requested to study with great care the last two chapters of this book. It is hard to overemphasize the im- portance of correct preparation and thorough mastication of food. Eat slowly and masticate everything thoroughly. Overcome the bad habit of gulping down foods. Eat in moderation. Always stop eating before there is a sense of satia- tion and discomfort. Eat more of fresh fruits and fresh vegetables than has been your custom. Eat less of white flour and white sugar than you have been in the habit of consuming. 86 COUGHS AND COLDS Instead of using so much white flour, use whole wheat flour and prod- ucts made of corn and rye. Instead of using so much white sugar, use brown sugar, honey, maple sugar, or the sweet fruits-raisins, figs, dates, sweet prunes and ripe bananas. Instead of living on pickled and preserved foods, learn to live on fresh foods. Under ordinary circumstances meat is to be eaten only once a day. Eat- ing meat several times a day will surely produce disease, especially in those who do light work. Foods should be plainly cooked, and should not be spoiled with such season- ing as pepper, mustard and vinegar. Nor should foods be messed up with milk and flour gravies (usually called 87 CURING CATARRH, cream gravies) and the brown flour gravies. The general rule should be to eat plain foods. Desserts should be the exception, not the rule. Eat something raw every day. Raw fruits and raw salad vegetables are the best for this purpose. Nearly all fruits may be eaten raw. Some of the raw vegetables are rather difficult to digest, but the majority will be able to eat the following vegetables un- cooked: Cabbage, lettuce, celery, cu- cumbers, radishes, tomatoes, endive, romaine and mild onions. The inhabitants of cities as a rule need only one hearty meal a day, with one or two lunches. Those who do light work and eat two or three hearty meals daily are sure to make them- selves ill. 88 COUGHS AND COLDS Use only a few different kinds of food in a meal. It is unnatural to mix and mess up a great variety of foods for one meal. The digestive organs object to it, and in the end rebel, and that means sickness. Most of the time do not eat more than four varieties of food at a meal. If you are satisfied with one or two kinds of food for each meal, so much the better. If you have one kind of protein in a meal, that is all the albuminous food you need. If you have one kind of starch in a meal, that is sufficient variety of starch. If you don't know what proteins and starches are, turn to food classification at the end of this book. Let us further condense the formula for preventing colds: 1.-Take daily exercise. 2.-Breathe deeply. 89 CURING CATARRH 3.-Drink what water the body needs and avoid drug drinks. 4.-Get into a balanced state of mind. 5.-Eat properly. That seems a brief way to put it, but let us condense the formula for pre- venting colds still further. You ought to be able to remember two words: Live right. Then you will have no colds nor any other kinds of ills. 90 PART II Chronic Catarrh I am purposely repeating some of the facts that have been given under colds, but not all of the important facts. Colds and chronic catarrh are really one and the same thing. Colds generally last but a short time, while chronic catarrh usually endures for years and sometimes as long as life lasts. But outside of the time element colds and chronic catarrh are the same. Please read the part dealing with colds, for it will help you to understand what is written in the pages about chronic catarrh. The repetitions made are important. It is not necessary to repeat the 91 CURING CATARRH, causes of catarrh, for they are the same as the causes of colds, and you can turn to the pages regarding colds and reread what is there written. Chronic catarrh is one of the most common and troublesome of human ills. It is as wide-spread as civiliza- tion. Though it does not in itself cause many deaths, that is, though very few death certificates will give chronic catarrh as the cause of death, chronic catarrh with constipation lay the foundation for more deaths than any other physical troubles. These two conditions cause such a deteriora- tion of the system that other diseases are built upon them, and then these ultimate diseases are given as the causes of death. Let us summarize the causes of most diseases: 92 COUGHS AND COLDS 1.-The individual lives wrong, and more especially eats improperly. 2.-The incorrect eating, aided by other bad habits, produces indigestion, which may not cause any special in- convenience, but manifests itself to the keen eye in such symptoms as furred or coated tongue, canker, "cold sores," bad complexion, pimples, nervousness, and unnatural color of the white of the eyeball. 3.-After the digestion has been perverted, the blood-stream becomes impure and the body very frequently turns too acid (sour). 4.-Then catarrh and constipation generally appear upon the scene. 5.-In this condition, from which at least one-half of our population suf- fers, it is possible to take on any kind of disease going. Those who keep 93 CURING CATARRH, their blood-stream sweet and clean, and live so as to avoid constipation, will not have catarrh or any other dis- ease. Please remember that catarrh is not due to the climate; it is not due to germs; but it is due to wrong living, and more especially to incorrect eat- ing. Those who eat properly can not develop a typical case of chronic ca- tarrh. Although catarrh is a digestive and blood disease, it manifests in the mu- cous membranes. It is the cause of thousands of cases of deafness. Ca- tarrhal deafness is always curable if taken in hand and properly treated be- fore structural changes have occurred in the ears. But after the structural changes have taken place the hearing will not return. It is not necessary 94 COUGHS AND COLDS to give any local ear treatments in the curable cases, but it is necessary to feed the patient right and teach him to live right otherwise. Catarrh may localize in any part of the mucous membrane of the body. I shall mention a few of the medical names given to chronic catarrh in vari- ous parts of the body, without defining them. Really, they are not of great importance, and you need not look them up unless you are curious: Blepharitis, otitis, rhinitis, bronchitis, gastritis, enteritis, colitis, proctitis and cystitis. Remember that catarrh, no matter where it occurs, is the same thing and that these fancy names do not matter. In chronic catarrh the mucous mem- brane may either become thickened or it may be very thin (atrophied). It 95 CURING CATARRH, usually becomes engorged and swollen in the early stages of the process, and then excessive amounts of fibrous tis- sue are deposited. This fibrous tis- sue has a tendency to contract, and if the catarrh is very bad the contraction may continue until the mucous mem- brane becomes too thin and pale, indi- cating poor circulation. In the beginning the catarrh is of the moist variety. Great quantities of mucus are poured out. This shows that the blood is surcharged with im- purities which escape by way of the mucous membrane. The mucus is an albuminous fluid and when it is dis- charged as catarrhal waste it weakens the body. The catarrh may turn into the dry variety, and then crusts of dried mucus form in the nose or other parts lined 96 COUGHS AND COLDS with mucous membrane. Most of the children who have the disgusting habit of picking their nose are suffering from catarrh, and the mucous mem- brane has degenerated so that it is un- able to keep itself clean. Those who superintend the feeding of the chil- dren are always to blame, for if the young people are properly fed they will not develop catarrh. If catarrh is allowed to remain long the mucous membrane is forced into degeneration. It can not be over- worked without being weakened. A weakened mucous membrane becomes an ideal site for many different kinds of diseases, a few of which we shall name: Tuberculosis, ulcerated stom- ach, cancer of the stomach, gall-stones, ulcers of the intestines, pneumonia. 97 CURING CATARRH, kidney stones, stone in the bladder, bladder ulcers and many other ills. Catarrh is one of the most prolific causes of consumption, and as con- sumption probably kills more than fif- teen out of every hundred individuals it will be seen how necessary it is to prevent and cure catarrh. Many of the disturbances of the stomach, liver and intestines are of a catarrhal nature. Most of the ills of the nose, throat and lungs are also catarrhal. The eyes and ears also suffer much from catarrh. Knowing these facts, it seems to me that everybody who has catarrh would want to get rid of the nuisance, for so long as it remains it threatens to bring disease upon us. Those who suffer from catarrh easily fafi victims to va- 98 COUGHS AND COLDS rious acute ills, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, typhoid fever and appen- dicitis, to mention but a few. And it is easy to rid the body of ca- tarrh. It is surprisingly easy in the young. The average young individual can get rid of catarrh in a few weeks or a few months. That is, all the symp- toms will disappear in a short time. But it requires considerable time to build up the system so that the catarrh is really cured. A true cure is not accomplished until the blood-stream is so clean that there is no need of forc- ing large amounts of poisons out through the mucous membrane. I have seen all the symptoms of chronic ca- tarrh of more than twenty years' standing disappear in less than two weeks. But the individuals are not 99 CURING CATARRH, well as soon as the symptoms disap- pear. The recovery is complete when every part of the body becomes sweet and clean, which requires a few months even in young individuals. After a person has had catarrh for forty, fifty or more years it is rather tedious to conquer the condition, but it can be done. Catarrh has then be- come an established habit, and habits are hard to break. The body clings to its old habits. Those in advanced years who wish to overcome catarrh can do so by living as they should. Catarrh is always curable until it has caused extensive degeneration of the physical structures. If extensive structural degeneration has occurred, there will not be complete regenera- tion, though improvement and partial regeneration often take place. The 100 COUGHS AND COLDS reason why some cases of catarrhal deafness can not recover is that struc- tural changes have occurred in the ears. Degeneration means that high grade physical structures have been replaced by low grade structures, and the gen- eral rule in the human body is that low grade structures can not be replaced by high grade structures. That is why a fatty heart can not again become as strong as it was originally; that is why a degenerated nerve can not fully regain tone; that is why a large scar will always be a scar; that is why a fibrous liver can not again become a normal gland; and that is why a struc- turally degenerated mucous membrane will not return to normal. Here is the greatest rule of curabil- ity which applies to catarrh and all 101 CURING CATARRH, other ills: If the body functions are deranged, cure is probable under cor- rect treatment; but if the body struc- ture is degenerated, a complete cure is very improbable. But most cases of chronic catarrh are curable, and nearly every case can be helped, even if there is structural degeneration. Medicines are a delusion and a snare. They never have cured catarrh and they never will. The market boasts of many catarrh cures. I have not given these cures special attention for a few years, but I know that until the Harrison law was passed the catarrh cures (so-called) often con- tained habit-forming drugs. One can suppress secretions with cocain, mor- phin, atropin and other medical agents, but it is folly to do so. Such 102 COUGHS AND COLDS treatment may produce a craving for drugs too strong for the victim to con- trol. It may also produce fatal dis- eases through suppressing the secre- tions and excretions of the body. The excessive flow of mucus in catarrh is not the disease; it is only the symp- tom pointing to the fact that the blood is unclean. Think of smearing a little salve on the mucous membrane, or spraying the mucous membrane, and calling it curing! Why fool with the symptoms, when the proper thing to do is to go to the root of the trouble, remove the cause or causes and thus produce a cure ? And why spend your good money on medicines under the belief that they will cure catarrh, when they can't pos- sibly do so? There are drugs that 103 CURING CATARRH, will give relief, but relief and cure are very, very diff erent. There is only one sure cure for ca- tarrh, and that is right living; but let us give a little attention to relief meas- ures. Relieving Catarrh For catarrh of the eyes, gently wash the lids with clean water or with water containing a small amount of boracic acid. Use no strong solutions, for they may injure the mucous mem- brane. In bad cases guard the eyes against strong light. For nasal catarrh, especially the kind forming hard crusts, use an oily spray in an atomizer; or grease the nose with sterile white vaseline; or use a little camphor ice for the purpose of greasing the nose. Any kind of anti- septic wash that is so mild that it does 104 COVGHS AND COLDS not irritate the mucous membrane may be used. Some sniff salt solution. This does clear the nose, but if it is used too often and very strong it has a tendency to harden and dry up the mucous membrane, which is ex- actly what we do not wish to happen. A weak solution of baking soda in water is all right for a nasal wash. For catarrhal deafness of short du- ration you may try a cold pack on the neck. Dip a cloth in cold water; squeeze the water out so that the cloth does not drip; place it on the neck and over it put dry flannel and let it stay for thirty or forty minutes. Re- new as often as you please. It may help to clear the throat, and relieve the engorgement of the Eustachian tubes, and then the hearing will im- prove. 105 CURING CATARRH, For catarrh of the throat take the juice of one-half of a lemon in water every morning. Do not put sugar into this. Those who have catarrh of the nose and throat should gargle and clean their mouth well every morning. Lemon juice and water are also good in cases of catarrh of the liver. But these are not curative measures. They are simply measures of cleanli- ness applied to the symptoms. What every one should seek is a cure, and that consists in correct living. Drugs may be used to relieve. It is best not to take them, for they do not cure, and they may do harm. Curing Chronic Catarrh Nearly every one who has catarrh can get permanently well. It takes 106 COUGHS AND COLDS determination and stick-to-it-iveness, but the cure is worth the effort, and a great deal more. Those who get rid of catarrh in the right way will build for themselves such robust health that they will be able to go through life without any disease. Surely it is worth while to change a few habits in order to gain dependable, permanent health. Most of those who suffer from ca- tarrh are constipated. Depending upon how long the constipation has lasted, this abnormal condition can be overcome in a fairly reasonable time. The cure is the same as the cure of any other disease-to live as you should. A few bending exercises, deep breath- ing, kneading the abdomen and proper eating are the most important meas- ures employed in conquering consti- pation. The eating must have special 107 CURING CATARRH, attention. To overcome constipation it is necessary to eat the fresh natural foods so that the blood will become purified and the entire physical struc- ture will be toned up. Fresh fruits and fresh vegetables should form a large part of the diet and the sufferer should reduce the intake of white flour and white sugar products, substituting the natural sugars found in such foods as honey, raisins, figs and dates, and the natural grain products such as whole wheat flour, rye flour, corn meal and other ground or crushed or shred- ded or puffed grain foods that have not been robbed of their valuable min- eral salts. The use of white flour products and white sugar help to pro- duce constipation. They are too re- fined. The natural foods help to keep the bowels in normal condition. 108 COUGHS AND COLDS If the constipation is severe it will be necessary to use injections or mild cathartics. They do not cure, but they help to keep the bowels clean, and one of the important measures in curing catarrh is to keep the bowels clean. The exercise, breathing, drinking and thinking points discussed in the part of this book dealing with colds apply to chronic catarrh as well. Be- cause the blood is unclean it is impor- tant to give the skin good care, rub- bing it daily. This helps the skin to remain active, and an active skin helps to remove much waste from the blood- stream. Eating in Chronic Catarrh At least nine-tenths of the causes of chronic catarrh are dietetic errors. Hence the most important part of the 109 CURING CATARRH, treatment is to learn how to eat prop- erly. The average sufferer eats any- thing and everything in all kinds of combinations. He has no idea about correct combining of foods. He thinks that he needs a great deal of nourishing food and he lives up to his belief, and builds disease. His suf- fering is self-imposed martyrdom. Lack of knowledge is back of it, but Nature also says that "Ignorance of the law excuses no one." She doles out disease equally to those who disre- gard her laws through ignorance and to those who disregard them through weakness or perversity. Because the eating is so important in catarrh I shall give a number of general rules, and then some menus, showing how those afflicted with chronic catarrh should eat. 110 COUGHS AND COLDS 1.-Thoroughly masticate all food, and eat slowly. This applies not only in chronic catarrh, but in every other chronic disease. It applies not only in disease, but in health. The first and most important rule regarding eating is: Thoroughly masticate all foods, and eat slowly. 2.-Be moderate in eating. This is almost as important as the first rule. Catarrh is based on wrong eating, and overeating is one of our gravest die- tetic sins. Overeating causes indiges- tion; indigestion produces an excess of internal gases, too much acidity and poisons due to decomposition of foods in the digestive tract. Some of these products of indigestion are absorbed into the blood, which becomes unclean and may become acid in reaction. The blood circulates to all parts of the 111 CURING CATARRH, body, spreading the disease to every cell. When the blood and all the other tissues of the body become un- clean some disease will appear, and often this takes the form of catarrh. Be moderate m eating. "What is moderation in eating?" you may ask. Moderation in eating is to partake of enough food so that the body is well nourished but has no food left over with which to build disease. Those who eat too much will have one or more of the following symptoms: Muddy complexion, yellowish or grayish skin, pimples or blotches, boils, itching of the skin, a tinge of green or yellow in the white of the eyeball, frequent colds or catarrh, coated or pale tongue, can- ker, sour or acid stomach, gas in the stomach or bowels, drowsy feeling 112 COUGHS AND COLDS after some of the meals, that tired feel- ing, a dull feeling upon arising in the morning, bad taste in the mouth in the morning, distaste of water in the morning, a heavy, dull feeling in the morning, oppression of head or head- aches. These are symptoms of a sys- tem cloyed and clogged with food. Some of these symptoms, but not all, are present in every individual who overeats. Obesity (fatness) is always a symptom of overeating. Those who eat in moderation will not have these symptoms. They will look well and they will feel well. They will arise in the morning able to appreciate and enjoy the beauties of nature, and will be ready for a day's work. They will have no aches and pains and will not have any spite to take out on their associates due to a 113 CURING CATARRH, deranged liver. Those who eat as they should will be bright and clean both physically and mentally. Be moderate in eating. 3.-Prepare your foods according to directions in chapters 8, 9 and 10 of "Eating for Health and Effi- ciency." 4.-Eat plenty of fresh foods, and avoid as much as possible pickled, pre- served and cured foods. When chem- icals are used for preserving foods (common table salt is a chemical) the health values of these foods are low- ered. Fresh foods are best. It is always possible to have fresh fruits and vegetables. In summer they are plentiful, and many fruits and vege- tables keep well in winter. It only requires a little planning to have apples, oranges, bananas, raisins, figs, 114 COUGHS AND COLDS dates, cabbage, carrots, turnips, beets and parsnips all winter. This is but a partial list. In addition one can have foods canned in plain water, and the vegetables canned in this way are very good. Also, one can obtain fruits that have been dried without the use of chemicals and these are very good. 5.-Have the foods as natural as possible. Try to avoid such impover- ished foods as refined white sugar, pat- ent white flour, polished rice and cured meats and preserved fruits. Use the brown flour, brown rice, brown sugar and honey and maple sugar and the sweet fruits, fresh meats, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables. If possible use milk that has not been pasteurized or boiled. The ordinary bacteria in milk do no harm. Have your milk pro- 115 CURING CATARRH, duced in a cleanly manner, and when you take milk, have your share of live bacteria. If you want your germs dead, heat the milk, but please re- member that heated milk is inferior to the uncooked milk from the health standpoint. The only excuse for pas- teurizing or boiling the milk supplied to the public is that the milk is dirty. Heating does not remove the dirt. Children who are given an exclusive diet of cooked milk do not thrive. 6.-Eat moderately of cream, milk and cheese. These are good foods, but those who suffer from catarrh gen- erally find that a large intake of them will aggravate the trouble. Adult sufferers from catarrh, living on a mixed diet, should not take milk or cheese more than once a day. If the 116 COUGHS AND COLDS color of the eyeball is bad, they should avoid cream until the eyes clear up. 7.-Eat some raw fruit or some raw vegetables every day. The reason for this is that the raw fruits and the raw vegetables supply the salts of iron, cal- cium, potash, soda, chlorine, sulphur, phosphorus and other necessary ele- ments in the form that the body needs them. Raw fruits and raw vegetables are cleansing and they help to keep the body in an alkaline condition, which is necessary for the sake of the health. They help to keep the foods from go- ing into abnormal fermentation, and in this way aid in keeping the system sweet. 8.-Eat of flesh foods but once a day, and the flesh foods are all kinds of meats and fish. It used to be be- lieved that a human being needs much 117 CURING CATARRH, meat to build strength. We now know that much meat eating builds weakness and breeds disease. It used to be believed that manual laborers should have meat three times a day. We now know that a manual laborer needs no more meat than an office worker, but the laborer needs more fats and starches and sugars. Protein is necessary for physical existence, but an excessive amount of protein causes quicker degeneration than any other food. For a list of proteins see food classification in the back of this book. 9.-Make it a general rule to com- bine simply. The average dinner in our land is an insult to the stomach. It contains bread, butter, meat, flour gravy, potatoes, one or two vegetables cooked with thickened gravy, some kind of salad, and a dessert, and this 118 COUGHS AND COLDS is topped off with coffee. No one needs such great variety of food, and I have mentioned only a so-called sim- ple dinner. Nowhere in Nature can we find an excuse for such mixing, un- less we take a tip from the hog. But don't blame the hog, for man has Spoiled him. In a natural state the hog leads the simple life and is a cleanly brute. A good dinner can be made of four or five articles of food. Most meals should be limited to four or less kinds of food. Those who are satisfied to eat one or two or three kinds of food at a meal do well by themselves. Eat- ing a great variety at each meal leads to overeating, and overeating causes physical degeneration. 10.-Be regular about eating. Many live on two meals a day, and do nicely 119 CURING CATARRH, on the two-meal a day plan. No adult should eat more than three tim^s a day. Lunching is a bad habit. Most individuals eat too much at the three meals, and to take lunches between meals is adding insult to injury. Eat three meals a day, if that is your eat- ing plan, and between meals take noth-' ing but water. This is a positive rule that must be observed. 11.-It is best to take the heaviest meal after the hard work of the day is over. Hard labor and digestion can not take place in the body at the same time. Thinking is labor as well as physical activity. One should never eat when greatly upset mentally. 12.-Those who are in great hurry to rid the system of catarrh can usually accomplish it by going on a fast. Sometimes a long fast fails to accom- 120 COUGHS AND COLDS plish the desired results because the body is too impregnated with the ca- tarrhal poisons to clear up in three or four weeks of fasting. Fasts are not necessary in this condition, but they are a short cut. They almost invaria- bly succeed in individuals below the age of thirty. For further informa- tion in regard to foods see "Cooking Hints" in the back of the book. The route that most persons ought to choose is the road of hygiene and correct feeding. I shall give menus for the guidance of those who like to have some coaching in selecting meals. I do not say that these are the only kinds of meals that will bring good results. I say that any kind of sim- ple, moderate eating will bring good results, if the selection, preparation and combination of food are reasona- 121 CURING CATARRH, bly good. In making menus I aim to use the foods that most people can obtain without difficulty. The succulent vegetables should have an important place in the menus of sufferers from catarrh. These foods may be eaten freely. The menus below are for the aver- age individual who works in modera- tion. The manual laborer will need more starchy food, which he can obtain by omitting some of the fruit meals and taking whole wheat products or other starches instead. In making up menus I mention everything that should be eaten. Do not add bread and potatoes to any meals when bread and potatoes are not mentioned. You can dress the foods according to directions given in chap- 122 COUGHS AND COLDS ters 8, 9 and 10 of "Eating for Health and Efficiency." Breakfast Baked apples or raw apples. Raisins, raw, steamed or stewed. Glass of milk. Lunch Shredded wheat biscuit, triscuit, or whole wheat toast wdth butter. Dish of green peas or string beans. Summer squash or beets. Celery or sliced cucumbers, if con- venient. Dinner Fresh fish or fresh eggs. Cooked cabbage or Brussels sprouts. Baked potatoes. Cabbage slaw or a plate of lettuce. 123 CURING CATARRH, Breakfast Oatmeal well cooked and well mas- ticated, with either butter or a glass of milk. (No sugar.) Figs or dates. Lunch Baked Hubbard squash or baked potatoes with butter. Kale or spinach. Asparagus or celery root. Lettuce. Dinner Roast beef or mutton chops. Carrots or turnips. Parsnips or beets. A dish of berries or some kind of raw fruit. 124 COUGHS AND COLDS Breakfast Berries or other fresh fruit. Bananas. Raisins or figs. Lunch Dish of custard. Whole wheat biscuits or whole wheat muffins with butter. Cooked chard or cabbage. Dinner Nut meats or fresh meat. Fresh green peas or young lima beans (not the ripe ones). Spinach or beet greens. Green vegetable salad. Piece of apple pie. 125 CURING CATARRH, Breakfast Corn bread, butter, with or without honey. Strip or two of crisp bacon. Glass of milk or buttermilk. Lunch Vegetable soup. Graham crackers or whole wheat bread with butter. Rutabagas or kohl-rabi. Ripe olives. Dinner Fresh fish or fresh eggs. Baked potato or potato boiled in the jacket. String beans or beets. A salad of lettuce or endive with cel- ery or cucumbers. 126 COUGHS AND COLDS Breakfast Pears or other fresh fruits. Ripe raw bananas, or baked ba- nanas. Cottage cheese or other mild cheese. Lunch Shredded wheat biscuits or stale rye bread with butter. Okra or egg plant. Corn on the cob or string beans. Dinner Macaroni and cheese. Dandelion greens or other boiled greens. Cabbage or cauliflower. Green vegetable salad. 127 CURING CATARRH, Breakfast Baked apples or apples cooked with figs or dates. Raisins and nuts. Dish of berries or one raw fruit. Lunch Baked beans or rice and cheese (made like macaroni and cheese). Kale or spinach. Salad of lettuce and celery, or of lettuce and cucumbers. Dinner Vegetable soup or clear meat broth. Roast mutton or baked veal. Corn on the cob or cooked onions. Beet tops or other greens. Dish of ice cream with or without fresh fruits or berries. 128 COUGHS AND COLDS Let us make a few comments on these menus. Many will tell you that it is a die- tetic crime to use fruits and vegetables in the same meal. The theory may be fine, but it does not work out in prac- tice. What do you and I care about theory so long as the practice is all right? We are practical persons, and are out for results. So if you like to combine fruits and vegetables you may do so. Try a fruit and vegetable salad like this: Lettuce, celery, mild apples and nuts. If you masticate it well you will like it, and it will like you. When butter is mentioned in these menus, you may substitute peanut butter, nut butter, oleomargarine, olive oil or other clean fatty substance. Most people are astonished when 129 CURING CATARRH, they see a breakfast planned without some kind of breadstuff or other ce- real. The sweet fruits, especially figs, dates and raisins, are more nourishing than the same weight of bread. So the nourishment is there even if no breadstuff is used. Vegetarians can eat nut meats or eggs instead of fish or meat, when these foods are mentioned in the menus. You will note that I have listed two kinds of cooked succulent vegetables for most lunches and dinners. It is not necessary to use more than one. You can select one kind of succulent vegetable and eat all you wish of it, and it will serve fully as well as two varieties. Sometimes you may use three kinds, if you so desire. If constipated, eat freely of the dif- 130 COUGHS AND COLDS ferent kinds of boiled greens, such as spinach, beet tops, turnip tops, kale, chard and dandelion. The dry or ripe beans are very heavy, nourishing foods. When they are eaten they should be taken in sim- ple combinations. They should also be very well masticated. It is not necessary to eat potatoes and bread with meat meals. Potatoes may occasionally form a part of the meat meal, but it is best not to take breadstuff s and meat in the same meal. Too much bread will cause excessive acidity of the body. Macaroni and cheese or spaghetti and cheese or rice and cheese will take the place of meat; so will the cooked ripe beans or peas or lentils. Desserts are not compulsory. Those who are subject to catarrh will 131 CURING CATARRH, do best if they do not eat desserts. However, they will recover even if they eat plain desserts in moderation, but desserts should not be taken daily. To summarize the subject of the cure of chronic catarrh: It consists in living so that the whole body becomes clean and sweet. It consists in living right. Looked upon broadly, all disease is one, and funda- mentally there is but one proper treat- ment of disease, which is to correct the mistakes the individual is making, substituting right habits for the wrong ones. The cure consists in building a strong, healthy body. The wrong thing to do is to use remnants of magic, such as serums and drugs. The most important points in permanently rid- ding the body of catarrh are: 1.-Keep the bowels clean. 132 COUGHS AND COLDS 2.-Keep the circulation and the muscles toned up with exercise. 3.-Have pure air day and night. 4.-Keep the skin normal by giving it a dry rub every day, and taking the baths, both internal and external, nec- essary for keeping clean. 5.-For liquid rely chiefly on water, avoiding drugged drinks, such as tea, coffee and alcohol. 6.-Eat properly, according to out- lines just given. Correct eating is by far the most important part. Often it is all that is necessary in order to bring about a cure. Coughs There are various kinds of coughs and different causes give rise to them. The nervous cough explains itself. It is a habit, and largely the result of 133 CURING CATARRH, suggestion. Those who suffer from nervous cough will cough when they hear others do so or when they think about coughing or hear others talk about it. Mental training will over- come it. There is the heart cough, due to ac- cumulation of blood in the lungs when the heart does not properly perform its pumping function. This will spon- taneously recover if the heart regains its working power. There is the cough called stomach cough. This occurs when the stomach or bowels are full of gas or when there is a great deal of acidity of the system. Some deny that there is such an "animile" as stomach cough, but coughing does at times result from an upset digestive tract. If there is much gas produced in the digestive tract, 134 COUGHS AND COLDS that can cause pressure on the lungs and coughing; on the other hand the acids when produced in excessive quan- tities get into the blood and directly irritate the lungs. Most of the coughs are produced by direct irritation of the respiratory tract. The breathing apparatus tries to keep itself clean, and it resents the presence of any substance that tries to lodge within its passages. A small amount of mucus, just enough to oil up the apparatus, is normal. But when a great amount of mucus gath- ers, it becomes a foreign body, an irri- tant, and then an effort is made to expel it. This is the reason for cough- ing in bronchitis, pulmonary tubercu- losis, or other forms of inflammation of the respiratory tract. The cough is not a disease, merely 135 CURING CATARRH, a symptom. It is foolish to treat the cough. We should not try to sup- press it, but we should attempt to re- move the causes that produce it. Diseases of the respiratory tract, which produce the cough, are to be cured and the cough can be left to take care of itself. Colds and catarrhs cause much coughing, and we have dealt with those subjects already. The thing to remember about coughs is, that they are symptoms of physical or nervous derangements; that it is useless to treat the coughs and that the proper thing to do is to remove the causes of the coughs, and then the coughs will take care of them- selves. Reading this book will do no special good unless you put the teachings into practice. If you do as did the young 136 COUGHS AND COLDS man who just dropped in to see me you will get no results. I told him to masticate his food well and not drink anything while he was eating; that is, I instructed him not to wash his food down with liquids. "I have followed your instructions to the letter," he told me. "You have not been drinking during meal times?" I inquired. "Well," replied he, "I take a bite of food and a swallow of water and then another bite of food and another swal- low of water, but you know a fellow can't eat his food dry." And he had followed my directions! If you desire the good results that are possible, you have to read intelli- gently and carefully, and then follow instructions to the letter. It is true that the knowledge is simple and easy 137 CURING CATARRH, to understand, but it is not like read- ing a popular novel. The average case of catarrh is cur- able, and it is folly to retain a disease which is rather easily conquered. Acute Catarrhal Tonsillitis Perhaps this heading is not strictly correct, for we shall deal with follicu- lar tonsillitis and with what is medically known as parenchymatous tonsillitis too, the latter being popu- larly known as quinsy (tonsillar ab- scess). However, these tonsillar forms of inflammation are very much the same thing, differing mostly in degree of severity. In all forms of tonsillitis the tonsils are inflamed and more or less swollen. Depending on the severity of the trouble, the surrounding tissues are 138 COUGHS AND COLDS more or less affected. Usually the mucous membrane of the surrounding structures is red and swollen. In plain catarrhal tonsillitis the inflam- mation is mostly near the surface; in quinsy the entire tonsillar structure is usually involved, with pus formation. In follicular tonsillitis the characteris- tic formation is cheesy matter in the crypts or follicles of the tonsils. This cheesy matter can be pressed out. It is not pus, as so many think; it is merely a cheesy formation due to the fact that the follicles of the tonsils do not cleanse themselves but allow old cells and mucus to gather and to start to degenerate. And it is not an indi- cation that an operation is needed. What causes tonsillitis? Read the causation of catarrh in this book and you have the etiology of tonsillitis. 139 CURING CATARRH, True, excess of heat or cold can start the inflammation; tobacco smoke; bad air; too many irritating fumes in the air; extension of a nasal cold; fevers. These can be exciting causes. But the fundamental cause is impoverished blood in which there is an excess of acids and other wastes. The symptoms are rather well known. Discomfort in the throat, sometimes amounting to severe pain, is common. Difficulty in swallowing is an ordinary symptom, and sometimes this is extreme. The fever varies from almost none to very high. Sometimes the tonsils swell until difficult breath- ing ensues. Cough is sometimes pres- ent. In some forms of tonsillitis the prostration is pronounced. It is easy enough to treat most cases of acute tonsillitis, for the trouble has 140 COUGHS AND COLDS a habit of vanishing in a few days if reasonable care is given. But it takes real knowledge and skill to educate people to the point of preventing ton- sillitis, and this is much more impor- tant than treating an acute attack. There is a great tendency for this afflic- tion to return because the throat and adjacent structures are exposed to many abuses, and the tissues are some- times very sensitive. In severe cases the patient should remain in bed. If there is much fever, the fast should be absolute until the fever vanishes. In these cases the suf- ferer should go to bed and Eve on water, keeping the feet warm. In all cases see that the bowels are kept clean, either through the use of laxatives or enemas. In severe cases with extensive in-. 141 CURING CATARRH, flammation use cold applications on the throat-wet packs. Cold water or ice packs may be applied to the neck; or the patient may be given very cold water to sip or ice to suck. Alkaline sprays are all right; a spray of common baking soda or table salt dissolved in water is good for clearing the throat. Painting or spray- ing the inflamed surfaces with solution of silver nitrate often helps to shorten the period of inflammation, but this should not be attempted unless the in- dividual knows what he is doing. It is best not to eat at all during the acute attacks. Those with mild attacks will recover in reasonable time even if they eat some fresh juicy fruit or take fresh fruit juice mixed with water-no sugar. But those who have 142 COUGHS AND COLDS severe attacks should eat absolutely nothing. Of course, some echo will now come along and say, "The patient must eat to keep up his strength." That is wrong. Food does not increase strength during fevers; in these cir- cumstances food makes the fever worse, increases the prostration and lengthens the duration of the illness. Milk, broth, custard-in fact, all foods are bad in severe fevers and in inflam- matory conditions. The proper treatment then is to keep the patient quiet and warm; to have plenty of fresh air, but it should not be cold enough to be irritating; to give all the water desired, and if the inflamma- tion is extreme to allow the patient to suck ice or give iced drinks to be sipped slowly; to keep the bowels 143 CURING CATARRH, clean, and tepid enemas containing a little pure soap or a tablespoonful of common baking soda to the quart of water are good for this purpose; to give absolutely no food until the fever vanishes, and please remember that this means no food, either liquid or solid. Yes, madam, and yes, sir, eggs and milk and custard and broths are foods and they are not to be given dur- ing the feverish and painful stage of a bad case of tonsillitis, unless you wish the trouble to continue long and to be unduly severe. In case of high fever, a good hot bath is indicated to reduce the fever. Sounds peculiar and even unreason- able, does it not? But it is sensible and it works. Let me explain: In bad cases of tonsillitis the patient is on ten- sion and nervous, full of pain, and 144 COUGHS AND COLDS troubled with blood engorgement (congestion) in the region of the throat. A hot bath equalizes the circu- lation, thus helping to relieve the en- gorgement of blood in the throat; a hot bath relieves tension through re- laxing the body; a hot bath opens the pores and that helps to rid the system of poison, and this, in addition to lowered nervous tension, aids in reduc- ing the fever. For those who have bathing facili- ties here is a good way to give the hot bath: Open the bathroom window enough so that the ventilation is good; get into the bath, having the water as warm as the body will tolerate and keep it warm by adding hot water from time to time; keep a cloth dipped in cold water on the forehead; remain in the bath until thoroughly relaxed, 145 CURING CATARRH, which may require twenty or forty or sixty minutes; after getting out of the tub wrap up well in robes and blankets so that perspiration can continue, and keep out of draughts for the next few hours; when perspiration stops dress in dry garments, but it is best before so doing to sponge off the body with tepid water and wipe dry. Those who have no bathing facilities -indeed there are such persons-can take a sweat bath in bed by using jugs of hot water, or hot bricks or hot stones wrapped in cloth, or hotwater bags, and packing around the body, being very careful not to burn the patient. These means of producing sweat should be kept at a little distance from the body so as not to burn the skin. When the acute attack is over, live right in general, keep the body clean 146 COUGHS AND COLDS within and the skin active without, and be sure to eat right, and stop the ton- sillitis business. Let me show how it works: About six years ago a woman came under my supervision with this history: She had had tonsillitis rather regularly since childhood. During the ten previous years she had many minor attacks and on the average four attacks each winter when she was forced to go to bed with high fever and prostration due to quinsy sore throat, as she called it. The engorgement and swelling were extreme and the formation of pus was rather copious. Discussion and examination elicited these facts: All her previous physi- cians had told her that recovery with- out operation was impossible, that is, the attacks would recur unless she had 147 CURING CATARRH, the tonsils removed. She was very much afraid of the knife, probably be- cause she knew of several instances where the patients had lost their life through hemorrhage immediately fol- lowing the operation. She was wealthy, lazy, self-indulgent and very fond of rich foods. She weighed about forty pounds too much. She was de- cidedly hyperacid. She was directed during the attacks she was having, along the lines just given. When she recovered from the acute attack she was placed on a diet of absolutely nothing but juicy fruits to which no sugar was added, and cooked and raw succulent vegetables, and kept on this diet for two weeks. This started the cleansing process within the body and the weight reduc- tion. 148 COUGHS AND COLDS Then the diet was gradually in- creased, toast being allowed once a day, one or two slices lightly buttered; and she was allowed to take either a dish of cottage cheese or a glass of milk once a day. Meat and fish and all kinds of desserts were prohibited for a month. Then she was placed on a diet such as you will find outlined under chronic catarrh, except that she was required to eat very moderately of fatty and starchy foods, so that she would con- tinue to lose weight. At the end of three months she was thirty pounds lighter than in the be- ginning, the hyperacidity was largely overcome, and her throat felt better than it had for years, she said. I saw this lady occasionally during the next three years. In that time she had no 149 CURING CATARRH, attacks of tonsillitis and she was not troubled with the colds which had annoyed her so in the past. Remove the cause, which is some- times local irritation, but most of the time impoverished blood due to wrong living, and the acute tonsillitis quits coming. Very, very seldom is the condition so bad that instrumental or surgical aid is necessary. Of course, operation is the quickest way to remove an annoying symptom. But does that satisfy you? Chronic Tonsillitis The chief sign of this trouble is en- larged tonsils, which are often so irri- tated that an excess of mucus appears on the surface. Frequently it is easy to press out of the crypts cheesy ma- 150 COUGHS AND COLDS terial, but this is not pus. Sometimes the tonsils in this condition impinge on the Eustachian tube, causing more or less deafness. Bad breath and sore throat are rather common. The cause is the same as that of acute tonsillitis; in fact the chronic form is often the result of repeated attacks of the acute affliction. The question is whether to operate or not to operate. If you operate you remove the chief manifesting symp- toms-the large tonsils-but the real disease remains in the body to cause trouble in some other way. Those who see this matter in a true light realize that chronically abnormal tonsils are a signpost indicating a bad general condition of the body, and this is what they do: They begin to breathe more and eat 151 CURING CATARRH, less; they begin to exercise more; they drink a fair amount of pure water; they cleanse the bowels regularly; they keep the skin active through baths and dry rubs. They take care of themselves as out- lined for sufferers of chronic catarrh. How about local treatment? Gargles of salt in water, or bicarbo- nate of soda in water, or lemon juice in water are good. Those who care to have astringents applied locally can do so with the knowledge that at times this helps to shrink the enlarged ton- sils. I have seen very large tonsils greatly reduced in a few months by pricking them so they would bleed. The mortality following removal of the tonsils is small, but it is large enough to remind us that the danger is there. 152 COUGHS AND COLDS Acute Catarrhal Laryngitis This is the same as acute catarrh elsewhere, the only difference being the location in the region of the vocal cords. Here catarrh is often caused by in- ordinate smoking, use of too much al- cohol, and an excessive use of the voice. Otherwise the causation is similar to that of other acute catarrh. Frequently the catarrhal condition starts in the nose and extends to the larynx. The chief symptoms are tickling in the throat, huskiness of voice grading into hoarseness. In severe cases it is difficult to breathe and painful to swallow. The treatment is simple, and if used 153 CURING CATARRH, in the early stages it is quickly effec- tive. If the individual is very young or very old or weak, he should be put to bed and kept in a room where the air is fresh but the temperature even. So as to keep cold air from irritating the larynx it is best to maintain the tem- perature of the room as high as sixty degrees F. Keep the feet warm. Give a laxa- tive to cleanse the intestinal tract. The best food until the acute attack passes is no food at all; give all the water the patient wishes. The more you feed the longer the trouble will last. Next best to no food is giving the juice of fresh fruit mixed with water, and no sugar is to be added. Or succulent vegetables may be given until the attack passes. 154 COUGHS AND COLDS In bad cases, a fine means of sooth- ing the inflamed membranes is to use steam inhalation. An apparatus may be improvised by attaching a rubber hose to the spout of a kettle full of hot water, which however must not be over the fire, for it is necessary to be care- ful not to burn the throat with too hot vapor. An excellent aid in overcoming the congestion and inflammation of the larynx is to use a wet pack, either warm or cold. For the benefit of those who do not know how to make the wet pack: Take a strip of cloth, fold it several times; dip it in water and wring out so that it is very wet but not dripping; place this wet cloth as high up on the neck as you can; then take either dry flannel or dry woolen mate- rial of other kind and completely 155 CURING CATARRH, cover the wet cloth. Pin in place and leave on for forty minutes to an hour. Repeat as often as necessary. A gargle of tepid water containing a little table salt is cleansing and in cases of this kind may be used three or four times a day. Robust individuals need not go to bed, but should miss a few meals, avoid extreme temperatures, and see that the bowels are kept thoroughly clean. During an acute attack, use the voice as little as possible. Read the chapter on Acute Catarrh. Chronic Catarrhal Laryngitis This is, of course, a chronic inflam- mation of the vocal apparatus. The cause is the same as chronic catarrh, with the exception that tobacco and overuse of the voice play a prominent 156 COUGHS AND COLDS part here. Sometimes chronic laryn- gitis is due to repeated attacks of the acute form; sometimes it is due to irritation from bad air; very often it is caused by subnormal condition of the entire body. Hoarseness, cough, tickling in the throat and discomfort when the voice is much used are the chief manifesta- tions. This affliction is a tragedy to actors, clergymen, singers and other persons in public life. Gargles and sprays and local treat- ments and wet packs may afford re- lief, but they are not curative. To bring about a cure: Eat right, drink right, think right, breathe right, exercise and keep the body clean. As this is a form of chronic catarrh, see the recommendations under that head- ing. 157 CUBING CATARRH, To illustrate: A singer had been losing his voice gradually for about four years. At the age of forty he was unable to practice his art. He had lost his high notes and singing was painful. He had also acquired thirty superfluous pounds of weight. For three weeks he was placed on a diet of nothing but juicy fruits and succulent vegetables; then he was placed on a diet such as you will find outlined in the pages dealing with chronic catarrh, except that he did not have go much starchy food, such as bread, toast and potatoes. He was also instructed to exercise and to take other health-building measures. Results: In six weeks he was able to make short public appearances; in three months he had good command 158 COUGHS AND COLDS of his voice and he carried the right weight. Then he was instructed how to live so as to remain well. He ceased hav-' ing periodic colds and consequently has had no trouble in carrying on his artistic profession. Read the chapter on Chronic Catarrh. Adenoids This is a trouble that is called to our attention mostly in connection with children. It is also known as pharyngeal tonsillitis. In the begin- ning it is an overgrowth of the soft, glandlike tissue in the roof of the pharynx. This morbid growth may be great enough to obstruct nasal breathing. It is easy enough to find this con- 159 CURING CATARRH, dition when it is present. The eye tells a great deal and the finger or in- strument will find the soft mass of tissue in the pharynx. In children glandular tissue and glandlike tissue easily enlarge through any form of irritation. It is very com- mon to find children with enlarged glands in neck and throat. In fact, they have at the base of the neck a gland, the thymus, which vanishes in childhood. Children who have adenoids in severe form can be diagnosed at sight. They have an appearance of stupidity to all but those who love them dearly -the thickened nose, the thick lips, open mouth and dull look give a char- acteristic appearance. These children are not necessarily dull, but they are handicapped because they do not get 160 COUGHS AND COLDS enough air into the lungs. The ade- noid tissue retards breathing, and sometimes the nasal breathing is prac- tically wanting. Then the children have to resort to mouth breathing, which is the most characteristic sign of the trouble. As a result of this form of breathing the mouth and throat are often dry, and so are the trachea and bronchi. This condition gives rise to coughs and colds, even to bronchitis. If the condition is extreme the roof of the mouth becomes deformed, which throws the teeth out of line through traction on the upper jaw; and in very bad cases the chest may become deformed. These children find it difficult to keep their minds centered and hence make slow progress at school. 161 CURING CATARRH, The hearing is often affected, due to the pressure of the swollen tissue on the Eustachian tubes. What causes this trouble? It is al- most entirely due to wrong feeding habits. This cause is so predominat- ing and preponderant that other causes are best left unstressed. It is an almost universal habit to feed children too often and too much. Even in infancy a child would do best if fed not to exceed four times a day, and five feedings ought to be the limit. But what do people do to their de- fenseless babies? A dozen nursings or feedings a day are not out of the ordinary. As a result children de- velop trouble with the digestive organs, and that trouble is reflected in the other parts of the body. As the glandular structures, especially early 162 COUGHS AND COLDS in life, are quite unstable, they fre- quently are the localities where the results of the digestive troubles mani- fest. Here is the sequence: Too frequent and improper feeding, result- ing in indigestion, which causes an excess of gas and acid in the digestive system, part of which gas and acid is absorbed by the blood, where it acts as an irritant to various organs. Some babies show signs of catarrh a few days after birth, due to the mother's unhygienic mode of living; and then the wrong feeding and over- feeding begin, aggravating the ca- tarrhal condition. Adenoids can with the utmost pro- priety be placed among the catarrhal diseases. When the child grows older the gen- eral rule is to feed sloppy, mushy 163 CURING CATARRH, foods. Even the so-called baby spe- cialists recommend soft, cooked cereals, which are one of the most pro- lific causes of adenoids, catarrh, croup, scarlet fever and diphtheria. Please remember that children can't have these diseases so long as they have good blood, and correct feeding keeps the blood pure. Don't feed the children sloppy foods; don't feed them cooked cereals, for they swallow such foods whole. True, such foods may not need masti- cation, but they are starchy and need thorough insalivation in order to be digested properly. How many chil- dren insalivate such foods? If sugar is added, the trouble is even worse. Which brings up another point: Don't give children sugar on any kind of grain food. White sugar is a curse 164 COUGHS AND COLDS to childhood. Here you have your lovely baby, and then you give it some nicely cooked oatmeal with sugar and rich milk. What is the result? The oatmeal (or other cooked cereal) slips down without being mixed with saliva; it ferments in the digestive apparatus, producing abnormal gases and acids, which are absorbed by the blood; the blood scatters these poisonous prod- ucts all over the body, and the most sensitive parts of the baby's anatomy are irritated. Candies, cakes, puddings, pies, other pastries, fried foods, gravies, pickles, jellies and preserves, and white flour products are a partial list of the poor foods which children de- vour with injurious results to their health. In many the resulting ill is known as adenoids. Meat is another 165 CURING CATARRH, food that young children should not have. Eggs should be taken spar- ingly. A child aged four should not eat more than three or four of them each week. Young children can get all the albumin they need from milk -eggs and meat are not necessary foods for them. Please remember this: A child from the health standpoint is, as Her- bert Spencer said, a young animal. From the physical side the paramount consideration is to feed the young ani- mal correctly. Right feeding builds health; wrong feeding causes disease. It is proper here to give this in- formation: A child after it stops its exclusively milk-fed career will thrive splendidly for the first five or six years if given only clean milk, whole wheat bread, fresh fruits and fresh vege- 166 COUGHS AND COLDS tables. In fact, that is the right way to feed young children. Of course, potatoes, or rice, or other good starchy foods may be substituted for whole wheat bread. Refined sugar is a disease-builder. Give the children figs, dates, prunes, raisins, thoroughly ripe bananas and other naturally sweet fruits and there is no need of white sugar. Honey is also a good sweet, in moderation. The approved method of treating adenoids is to remove them. But ade- noids are only a symptom of general physical derangement. Would you be satisfied to remove the symptom and allow the causes and evil condi- tions to continue manifesting? If you are, the child will develop some other physical ill or weakness. True, after an operation for adenoids a child often 167 CURING CATARRH, grows much brighter and advances physically and mentally. Removing the breathing handicap is a great help, for a sufficient amount of oxygen is one of the fundamentals of health. If you want to do the best by the child, and you decide to remove the enlarged adenoid tissue, be sure that you do not stop there. Find out where you have been at fault and correct those faults. In this way you will be able to raise a healthy child. It is a great mistake to rely too much on surgery, for in dealing with nose and throat conditions, in almost all cases removing tissue is merely cut- ting out a symptom or sign of internal trouble. Get rid of the underlying condition or conditions that cause these troubles. I know that the neighbors will feed 168 COUGHS AND COLDS your children; I know that they will get candies and other junk at school; and I know that children have so much imagination that they are untruthful; but in spite of this, if you will exercise reasonable care it is possible to raise children without serious illness. To show you what can be done in cases of this kind we shall give here one experience which is typical of many. From this you can learn what to do for your own child with adenoids. Jane was seven years old. She was physically and intellectually an aver- age child. The school nurse one day sent a note to the parents that the young lady had adenoids which ought to be removed. The parents for some reason had a horror of this kind of bloodshed, and brought the child to me. 169 CURING CATARRH, The girl had the typical adenoid face in mild degree-too open mouth, too thick lips, too puffy looking nose, and she partially breathed through the mouth. It was just an average case. The tonsils were too large, the mucous membrane of the throat too engorged, and the adenoid tissue was too swollen. We sat down and analyzed the case: 1.-The young lady was somewhat constipated. She stayed in bed until it was time to make a rush preparation for school, which involved nervous ir- ritation on the part of the mother and a display far from amiable on the part of the young lady. She swallowed her breakfast in a hurry, and she did not have time to go to the toilet in proper fashion. The first instruction was: Breakfast or no breakfast, the young 170 COUGHS AND COLDS lady is to have a movement of the bowels before she goes to school; she is to educate them to work; she is to make this a part of her morning rou- tine. The second direction was: She is to eat breakfast and all other meals slowly. If she has not time to eat slowly she will miss her meals. 2.-This brought us back to the fact that Jane was staying up late at night, and consequently could not get up early in the morning. The remedy was simple: Early to bed. 3.-This brought up still another item. Jane easily took cold and she was restless at night, so it was neces- sary to have her sleep with the win- dows closed. Remedy: Open the windows, and tuck and pin the bed- ding so that the young lady would re- main covered. (In cases of very 171 CURING CATARRH, young children it is often well to have them sleep in a bag, so that they can't kick off the covering and become too cold.) 4.-The mother had casually told her daughter that she should not eat away from home. Jane denied that she ate candy at school, and cakes and doughnuts at Mrs. Brown's. But a little discussion with me brought out the fact that this was a daily occur- rence. In fact, the chief attraction at Mrs. Brown's was the food. Mother was horrified to find that her daugh- ter was a liar and threatened dire pun- ishment. I suggested that "Turn back- ward, turn backward, O Time in your flight, and make me a child again just for to-night," would be good for the mother. Then, let her spend a little less time at bridge and dinner dances, 172 COUGHS AND COLDS and accept more responsibility for the daughter. Remedy: Mrs. Brown was asked, as a personal favor, not to feed the child, and she agreed. Little Jane promised to try hard not to eat candy at school. She was given raisins or dates or figs in each lunch to satisfy her craving for sweets. 5.-The girl came to the office for the first time on a cold day. Her legs were bare and blue and her feet were cold. Remedy: We arranged for more comfort and less style. Stock- ings to cover knees, made of cotton- not silk-during the cold weather. 6.-The girl was very much inclined to remain in her room and play with books and dolls. So we arranged to have her properly dressed for the weather so that she could play out of doors. 173 CUBING CATABBH, 7.-The girl was fed the same as the adults-bread, meat, potatoes, brown gravies, pastries and the gen- eral run of refined foods found in pros- perous homes. We changed the sched- ule to the following: Breakfast Fruit, glass of milk and whole wheat biscuit. Lunch Whole wheat bread, butter, sweet milk, and some sweet fruit. Dinner Either baked potatoes or rice, with one or two liberal helpings of cooked succulent vegetables, and a raw salad vegetable. With this she could have either a dish of plain custard, or a dish of cottage cheese, or a glass of milk. 174 COUGHS AND COLDS She objected to the vegetables, for she had never eaten many of them. So the vegetables were served first, and the rule was that if she was not hungry enough to eat them she was not hungry enough for anything else. In a short time she liked the vegetables as well as any other food. We discarded meat for the time being. What were the results? In a few months the tonsils and throat looked so normal that the school nurse stopped bothering the parents with notices. The adenoid tissues grad- ually decreased in size. Jane's face had a keener, brighter appearance, and she did much better work at school. In a few months she became a nose breather. 175 CURING CATARRH, There are cases so bad that it is best to remove the adenoids, but please remember that removing the warning signal is not removing the danger. If the adenoids are removed, also correct the faulty mode of living. In most cases surgical interference is uncalled for. Without doubt it is trouble to raise children, but most normal people find them more than worth it. Jane's mother realized that the fault was largely her own. She began to spend less time in frivolous social fluttering, and gave more time to responsible supervision of her children. She be- came interested in the subject of healthful living for the entire family, and the results were happy for all concerned. 176 COUGHS AND COLDS Acute Bronchitis There are various forms of bron- chitis, but no useful purpose will be served by discussing more than two kinds here, ordinary acute bronchitis and the common chronic bronchitis. As the name indicates, this trouble is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes. Often some of the lung structure sur- rounding the bronchial tubes is in- volved. Acute bronchitis is what is often known as "a cold on the chest." Usually the catarrhal process starts in nose, throat and larynx and extends through the trachea into the bronchial tubes. Occasionally the catarrhal process starts in the bronchi. The cause of this trouble is the same as that of ordinary colds in the head 177 CURING CATARRH, and has been discussed in the part of the book dealing with colds in general. It is well to repeat that the chief cause of colds is living in such an un- natural manner that the physical tonicity is reduced. The body de- fences grow weaker as health is de- pleted. Finally the stage is reached where health is no longer possible. Then the body is ready to be affected by any adverse influence, and in many individuals the result is bronchial ca- tarrh, or an acute cold. Sudden ex- posure to cold, undue chilling of the body, dampness and epidemic influ- ences are generally given as causes of this condition. But these are merely incidental causes. A chief cause is an excessive intake of food and drink. That is the reason that more colds of all kinds are encountered after 178 COUGHS AND COLDS Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year than at any other time. These are the grand gorging seasons. Peo- ple eat so much that they cannot throw off the waste in the ordinary way and the result is frequently catarrh, rang- ing from lungs to eyes. For some reason the young and the old are more frequently afflicted with bronchial catarrh of the acute type than are those in the middle stretches of life. The symptoms are so well known that they need only incidental men- tion. Bronchial catarrh generally comes quite suddenly. The fever is generally moderate, seldom going above 103 degrees F. The chest pains are seldom great. The cough and ex- pectoration are annoying. With the 179 CURING CATARRH, stethoscope we elicit rattling sounds in the chest. The most important part is the treatment. The idea has long pre- vailed that the proper thing to do is to suppress the cough and the ex- pectoration. A little straight think- ing will soon indicate to those who are good reasoners that this is a mistake. Quinine and opiates are the popular remedies. The opiates suppress the secretions, which is injurious to the patient. The correct treatment is to elimi- nate the poisons from the body as soon as possible. The four great eliminat- ing organs are the skin, the kidneys, the lungs and the bowels. Please bear this in mind and note how logical the treatment outlined below proves to be: 1.-As soon as the chest cold mani- 180 COUGHS AND COLDS fests use a laxative, and it would be best to use an enema of tepid water to cleanse the lower bowel. In a bad cold this cleansing should be repeated the second and the third days of the illness. 2.-Drink all the water that thirst calls for, and if there is no thirst drink five or six glasses of water, hot or cold, anyway. 3.-Take a bath as warm as you can bear it, remaining in the hot water at least twenty minutes. Yes, do this even if there is a fever. Hot baths help to reduce such fevers. After the bath wrap up well in blankets or other warm clothes and remain wrapped up until the perspiration stops. 4.-In severe cases it is best to go to bed, being sure to keep the feet warm. Use artificial heat in the foot 181 CUBING CATARRH, of the bed, if necessary. Open the window enough to have free ventila- tion. In cases of old people it is abso- lutely essential to keep the feet warm. And old people should be moved about a little from time to time, for if they are allowed to remain in the same posi- tion too long pneumonia (due to gravitational settling of liquid in the dependent parts of the lungs) is apt to ensue. Please note the treatment outlined above: It cleanses by way of the skin, the lungs, the kidneys and the bowels. Debilitated persons should be rubbed gently all over the body once or twice a dffy. Olive oil or other edible oil used on the skin is good. The rubbing should be done in a warm room. Avoid chilling the patient. 182 COUGHS AND COLDS A warm jacket for the chest is sooth- ing. It can be made of a large towel lined with cotton and snugly pinned on; or it can be a woolen or flannel covering; or it can be an earthy appli- cation, the best advertised variety being antiphlogistine. 5.-And now we come to a most im- portant consideration, the feeding. If it is a mild case with no percepti- ble fever, there is no need of complete fasting, nor going to bed, nor apply- ing chest jackets. In mild cases, re- duce the amount of food eaten by half. It would be a good idea to live on noth- ing but fresh fruits and fresh vege- tables for a few days. However, if the case is severe and considerable fever is present the pa- tient should go on a complete fast, which means to take nothing except 183 CURING CATARRH, water into the stomach. A little fresh lemon juice (no sugar) helps the cleansing process. How long should the fast last? Until the fever vanishes. How long will that be? If the bowels are kept clean, a hot bath such as we described above is taken, and a complete fast is instituted in the very beginning of the attack, often the fever vanishes in a day. Usually the chest is clear within three days and the fever a thing of the past, when these instructions are in- telligently observed. If the bron- chitis is allowed to establish itself thor- oughly, then no one can estimate how long it will take to vanquish the trouble. Here is a point for you to decide: Would you rather get down to busi- ness and eradicate the acute bronchitis 184 COUGHS AND COLDS in a few days? Or do you prefer to keep it to torture you for weeks or months ? Please note that fasting means to live on water and nothing else. Broths, milk, eggs, custards and sub- stances of that kind are foods, and they help to keep up the fever and prolong the attack. In severe cases, by all means go onto a complete fast until the fever vanishes. If you enjoy acute bronchial ca- tarrh and wish to keep it longer, then eat fresh fruits and fresh vegetables. If you wish to keep it still longer enlarge the diet and live on fruits, vegetables, milk and toast with butter. If you wish to continue coughing indefinitely, help yourself to fish and meat in addition to the other items. 185 CURING CATARRH, The animal foods are the most harmful ones to partake of in these circumstances. If you wish to rid yourself of this annoying condition in reasonable time, at least avoid milk, cheese, eggs, fish and meat until the fever and cough have vanished. When the acute bronchitis is con- quered, eat very moderately for a few days, and be prudent in the general physical care. "But you wouldn't fast a baby!" many object. Wouldn't I? Please let me tell you about an in- cident that occurred while I was pre- paring this manuscript. Some people who should have known better allowed a very mild case of bronchial catarrh to continue. For about three weeks they fed the baby as usual. At the 186 COUGHS AND COLDS end of this time, the child suddenly became feverish running a tempera- ture above 104 degrees F. Then the parents awoke. We gave the baby a piping hot bath and wrapped her up; we gave her all the water she wanted but for two days she had no food. At the end of that time, the fever and rattling had van- ished. Then the child was placed on about half rations. In two days the normal feeding was resumed. The child was one year of age. If a child takes a cold, the feeding should always be reduced. Many have the habit of catching cold. For six or seven months a year they have one cold after another. They are hardly over one until they take another. Frequently there is no period between their colds. The rea- 187 CURING CATARRH, son for this is that these persons are at all times suffering from autointoxi- cation. They have too much acid in their bodies. Recently I saw a gentleman who is past sixty years of age. Up to one year ago he had the habit of catching frequent colds. Then he undertook a course of personal health education under my care. I taught him to eat and drink right, to breathe deeply, to care for his skin, to exercise in mod- eration and to keep his intestinal tract tonic and clean. I shall quote his own words: "I used to have a cold on the chest nearly all winter and had fre- quent head colds. This winter I have not had any chest trouble. I had one light cold in the throat, but it did not go any farther, and it vanished in a few days. That is the sum of my 188 COUGHS AND COLDS catarrhal trouble during the past year." Incidentally, his one little cold came after the Christmas-New Year season, so you doubtless know the reason. If you have the habit of catching cold-in nose, throat or chest-you can obtain the same results as this merchant did. The knowledge is here at your command. Read what has been said under the headings of Acute Catarrh and Chronic Catarrh. Chronic Bronchitis Chronic bronchitis is rather com- mon among individuals past fifty or sixty years of age. Sometimes it is due to repeated attacks of acute bron- chial colds, which occur so often that 189 CURING CATARRH, they become established as one of the physical habits. Generally this condition is due to other forms of disease. The general bodily tonicity is lost, and the bron- chial structures degenerate with the rest of the body. It is common for people with rheumatic diseases, kid- ney troubles, heart disease, obesity and other chronic ills to develop bron- chitis. Excessive intake of alcohol and the use of tobacco are other causes. Sometimes the affliction is due to irri- tating substances inhaled with the air supply, such as irritating gases and excessive amounts of dust. Old people are the ones who are worst afflicted. The trouble is most pronounced during severe cold spells. For these reasons it is often known as the winter cough of the aged. It does 190 COUGHS AND COLDS not always wait until the sufferer is old to manifest. Some show decided symptoms of the trouble before they are forty years old. In this condition the bronchial tubes are irritated and sometimes inflamed. Ulcers may appear, and if they are extensive a little blood will show in the expectoration. In the beginning the bronchial walls are usually thick- ened and contain an excess of fibrous tissue; later the bronchial walls may grow too thin, and lose a great part of their mucous lining. Usually the pain and fever are ab- sent, or else slight. The cough is the annoying symptom. Sometimes it is severe enough to cause great weakness. The chest sounds indicate a roughened condition within. Sometimes the sounds are very loud and rattling in 191 CURING CATARRH. character. The expectoration varies from almost none to great quantities. The course of the trouble is often very chronic, the patient living and suffering for years. The greatest dan- ger is that it will lead to some other ill which will terminate life. During my medical college days I was taught that recovery is not to be expected, and I have never seen a re- covery in a serious case under the orthodox medical treatment. Change of air, a liberal diet and sedative drugs, often containing opium deriva- tives, are the chief constituents of the accepted treatment. Change of climate may be good, but it is not the principal essential, for chronic bronchitis is caused chiefly by autointoxication, which is mostly based on wrongs of digestion and elimina- 192 COUGHS AND COLDS tion. A too liberal diet is a mistake, for instead of keeping up the strength it bolsters up the bronchitis. If drugs are mild and help to eliminate poisons, they may be useful. But sedative drugs tend to keep the excretions within the body, and tonic drugs tend to irritate. On the whole the medica- tion is injurious to the patient. Even in the eyes of those who advocate the use of drugs, no curative effects are reflected. So why use the drugs? Those who are afflicted with bron- chitis will be glad to read my personal experience with this ailment. When I began my health work many patrons suffering from chronic bronchitis would come to me because of other ills. "Of course, I know that you can't help the bronchitis," was a common com- ment. They had accepted the chronic 193 CURING CATARRH, bronchial catarrh as a condition to be endured. But the vast majority of them had a pleasant surprise in store. As they recovered from their rheumatism, or chronic indigestion, or headache, or hyperacidity, or high blood pressure, or whatever the ill happened to be, the bronchitis had a habit of disappearing. Sometimes all the evil symptoms dis- appeared in as short a time as a month. Sometimes it required several months. Sometimes it was a gradual evolution, requiring a year or two or three be- fore the disease entirely vanished. Occasionally there was improve- ment, but a continuation of the trouble in milder form. In a large experience with these conditions I have never seen any complete failures when the suf- ferer was enough in earnest to give the 194 COUGHS AND COLDS matter a fair trial. If degeneration of the bronchial tissues goes to ex- tremes, these structures can never re- turn to normal. But even then there can at least be partial improvement. Most cases can recover so fully that the annoying symptoms-the worst ones being cough and expectoration- will vanish. Within the past four years I have had under my care two ladies who were both over seventy-eight years old, and both of them had previously suf- fered for years from chronic bron- chitis. One of them had had the trouble for over forty years. Both of these ladies began to follow direc- tions during the winter, with the re- sult that their symptoms soon grew less annoying. The following winter they had no bronchitis, and the last I 195 CURING CATARRH, heard there had been no recurrence. When we began I merely told them that it was at least worth while trying to become comfortable. This shows how results will come even in extreme ^ases. In both instances the families had been told that nothing could be done, first because the condition is in- curable, and second because the pa- tient was too old. Let us take a typical case and see what generally happens when we as- sist nature: A gentleman a little past the age of sixty came under observa- tion. For about ten years he had been troubled with chronic bronchitis. In the summertime it had been a little annoying. During the winter it had caused him great trouble. As he had made a comfortable fortune as a mer- chant, he was able to go to mild Texas 196 COUGHS AND COLDS points, or Southern California or Florida for the winter. But he was unable to find complete comfort, and he hated being a fugitive. This gentleman was suffering from general hyperacidity (acidosis), slug- gish intestinal action, and overweight. In other words, he was a victim of autointoxication. He did not exercise and he walked only when he was unable to call for the car. He enjoyed rich, delicate foods. Prohibition had not entered his home. He enjoyed the so-called good things of life and he had ample means to gratify his tastes. I explained to him that the real cause of his trouble was autointoxica- tion; that his elimination was subnor- mal, and for this reason waste matter 197 CURING CATARRH, was stored all through his body; that his eating was wrong, for it produced an excessive amount of waste, which the skin, lungs, kidneys and bowels were unable to throw off; that he was further poisoning himself with nice Cuban tobacco, genuine pre-prohibi- tion booze, and three cups of coffee each day, sometimes aided by a little tea; that he was eating two or three times as much food as his body needed and that the excess of food was build- ing trouble for him; that he was allow- ing indolence to ruin his circulation and deteriorate his muscles. He was in such an advanced stage of deteriora- tion that to walk a block was fre- quently too great a task. His heart was sluggish, and he gave evidence of a touch of both diabetes and Bright's disease. 198 COUGHS AND COLDS "Do you really want to recover?" he was asked. "Of course I do," he retorted, some- what indignant at the form of the question, which to him seemed foolish. "I have everything to live for-a good home, a fine wife, thriving children and a nice lot of grandchildren. I enjoy life when I am comfortable." So we got busy, and this is what we did: 1.-Immediately we established the habit of giving the skin daily dry fric- tion. As he was unable to exercise in the ordinary sense of the word, this served as exercise in the beginning. This helped the circulation, and also toned up the skin so that it began to do a better excreting job. In three months the skin glowed with vitality, 199 CUBING CATARRH, and the complexion turned from pasty- gray to a healthy tan tinged with pink. 2.-We reduced the coffee drinking to one cup in the morning and no cups the rest of the day, and increased the water drinking. One cup of coffee contains some poison, but only one- third as much as will be found in three cups. We dispensed with the tea. Alcohol we tabooed entirely for two months and after that we confined it to one glass of wine on special holidays and birthdays. 3.-We instituted the habit of deep breathing several times a day to im- prove the lung function and furnish more oxygen to the blood. This is a purifying measure. 4.-As strength and endurance be- gan to return we began systematic stretching and bending exercises. We 200 COUGHS AND COLDS started with one minute of exercise morning and evening, and gradually increased until the exercise period was at least five minutes, twice a day. And the gentleman began to walk. In three months he could walk over a mile without tiring. 5.-He was taught to be regular, to help improve the intestinal func- tions. Deep breathing, exercise, right drinking and correct eating helped, and in a few months he was able to dispense with laxatives. 6.-As he was fat and slightly dia- betic we took sugar away. We also reduced the bread eating, and omitted from the menus all fried foods, all greasy cooking, all pastries, jams, jellies, preserves and pickles. As he had a touch of Bright's dis- ease we reduced the meat eating. In- 201 CURING CATARRH, stead of having meat three times a day, we had it served only for the din- ner meal. He had eaten vegetables very spar- ingly, so we taught him to eat freely of vegetables both for lunch and din- ner. He had raw salad vegetables, and the cooked succulent vegetables at both meals (see back of book for list of these vegetables). We did away with canned fruits and used the fresh fruits instead, allowing no sugar to be added. We changed the eating routine so that he quit lunching between meals, and we instructed him to eat slowly. What were the results ? At the end of three months he could walk and work as much as he pleased. He showed no further signs of bronchitis. Even a most careful examination 202 COUGHS AND COLDS showed no further trouble with the kidneys-the sugar and albumin had cleared up. He lost about twenty- five pounds of weight and gained much strength in those three months. At the end of six months he was ex- amined again, and the favorable re- sults were confirmed. By this time he had lost about forty pounds of weight, being normal in this respect. He felt well, he looked well, and no signs of disease could be found in his chest. His heart worked regularly and firmly. The following winter he had one slight nasal cold, but no bronchitis. He considered himself well, and he doubtless had better health than ninety per cent of those he met on the street. Why tell these tales from life? Be- cause if you are a victim of bronchitis 203 CURING CATARRH, you can apply these helpful truths to yourself with the knowledge that your chances are excellent to vanquish the trouble. However, the good results which are set forth in these pages came to people who were determined to re- cover. They not only pretended to fol- low instructions. They actually did as they were told to do. They did not merely read the instructions and say: "This is old stuff. It won't work." They gave nature a chance to demon- strate what she can do. To finish the tale: The correct care in chronic bronchitis is the same in a general way as that in chronic catarrh, so you are referred to the chronic ca- tarrh portion of this book for further information and elucidation. Those who have in addition to bron- chitis such troubles as hardening of 204 COUGHS AND COLDS the arteries, high blood pressure, rheu- matism, heart trouble, kidney afflic- tions, engorged liver, constipation or various other ills, need special knowl- edge to overcome those afflictions. There is not enough room within these covers to go into detail about them. Hay Fever Hay fever is a peculiar disorder. Most people think of it as being due to the pollen of various weeds, grasses, grains, flowers and trees. Some are susceptible to one pollen, and some to another. This is really one part of the truth. Here is another part of the truth: Many individuals live in such a way that they lose the general tonicity of their body. They become so full of acids and other waste materials that 205 CURING CATARRH, they are easily afflicted when sur- rounded by the smallest of adverse in- fluences. Among other parts of the body the mucous membranes grow un- duly tender and sensitive. Let us then put together the entire truth: Some of these hypersensitive persons with delicate mucous mem- brane in the head are easily disturbed by the various fine particles in the air in summertime. So the real cause of hay fever is that people lead such abnormal lives that they are unduly upset by conditions common during the warm weather in the temperate zone. The ordinary treatment of hay fever is mostly local. Various drugs are sprayed or applied on the sensi- tive spots of mucous membrane; or various electrical treatments are given; 206 COUGHS AND COLDS cautery (burning) is resorted to. Too frequently in the past an excess of cocaine has been used, or too much adrenalin. For the benefit of those who use such powerful agents, it is well to remember that after these strong drugs have produced relief the condition grows worse again-even worse than it was originally. Another treatment now very popu- lar is to give the patient extract of the pollen to which they are sensitive. Some get absolutely no results from this treatment, and some report relief. The symptoms of hay fever need very little describing. The red eyes, flowing tears, tickling, itching, sneez- ing, burning and irritation of the mucous membrane of the head are well known. Sometimes cough is present. 207 CURING CATARRH, The mucous discharge is often very thin. Hay fever is not the real disease. It is merely a symptom of internal perversions. For this reason it is not wise to be satisfied with local treat- ment of the hay fever. Remove the cause of the trouble, which is far more deep-seated than the mucous mem- brane manifestations. One point that very few people pon- der is this: Discomforts are generally signposts of internal perversions. Often it is possible to remove these signposts, but the internal perversions remain. It is possible to change the manifestations of disease, but what good does it do to subdue one form of trouble if another kind-maybe more dangerous-springs up to take its place? 208 COUGHS AND COLDS If you will sit down and figure out the proposition, you will readily see that most of the medical treatment is merely tinkering with symptoms, that is, subduing effects. We ought to work with causes, and thus get perma- nently good results. One of my old patrons will illustrate and illuminate this entire subject. He has been subject to hay fever for more than twenty years. He is prosperous and well able to give himself the right kind of care. He can have hay fever or he can escape it, as he elects, and he does not have to leave the city to remain free from the trouble. A large part of the time he treats himself well, but a part of the time he chooses to be self-indulgent. He is quite fond of fine liquors, and the Volstead Act seemingly has not changed the quan- 209 CURING CATARRH, tity nor quality of his stock. Liquor does not agree with him; sometimes a moderate quantity makes him ill, but he indulges his desires once or twice a week, each time hoping that the evil results will not manifest. An excess of meat and bread also upset him- what is excess for him would be great moderation for many men. He runs his chances on these foods most of the time. One fall he made up his mind to escape hay fever the next season. We limited the liquor strictly to one glass of wine a week-none would have been better. We limited the meat eating to three times a week, and we entirely elimi- nated beef and pork. In the meal when he had meat we allowed pota- toes, but prohibited bread. 210 COUGHS AND COLDS Every breakfast he had some fresh fruit, and with that he had some kind of well baked grain food, but mushy foods were taboo., White sugar was left out of his menu, but he obtained sweets from raisins, figs, dates, prunes, ripe bananas, maple sugar and honey. He also had all fruits in season, except that grapefruit was almost entirely omitted because it was too acid for him. At lunch he always had a large dish of plainly cooked succulent vegetable; with this he generally had buttermilk or cottage cheese and toast with butter. At dinner he always had one or two liberal dishes of cooked succulent vege- tables, and a goodly helping of raw vegetable salad. (He sometimes had raw vegetable salad for lunch too. 211 CURING CATARRH, Study with care the last two chapters of this book.) Vinegar was tabooed; so were pep- per and mustard and pickles and jellies and jams and preserves and candies and anything containing pastry crust and all fried foods. Most of the time he had no dessert, and when he indulged he had custard, or baked or cooked fruit, or dried fruit, or fresh fruit, or berries, or gelatin or sometimes plain vanilla ice cream. If you have read with care you will notice that the gentleman ate the simple foods; that he avoided the com- plex, messy foods; that a large part of his breakfast consisted of fresh fruits (berries and melons in season); that a large part of his lunch was fresh vegetables; that a large part of his din- ner was made up of fresh vegetables; 212 COUGHS AND COLDS further, that he had cooked succulent vegetables twice a day and raw salad vegetables once or twice a day. Besides this care in eating he took deep breathing exercises, dry rubs, and enough general exercises to keep his body tonic; he attended to the calls of nature. In a few months he was in superb physical condition. Yes, that year he avoided hay fever, without going north or to the moun- tains or to the coast. If you will do likewise, being sure to start months ahead of the hay fever season, the chances are largely in your favor of getting like results. But this is not the end of the tale. The succeeding year this gentleman decided to lead a more hectic life. The hay fever again showed up. Since learning how to avoid the trouble, as 213 CURING CATARRH, most individuals can if they start in time, he has some years avoided it and some years had it. But he has always been careful enough to avoid having the extreme form of the condition which was his portion from ten to twenty years ago. To avoid hay fever, build up the general health, and then keep the body free from excessive amounts of acid and other wastes. Those who are subject to hay fever should eat very sparingly of foods of animal origin, especially of eggs, fish and meat; and more especially of beef and pork. These foods contain too much waste, and it is waste in the body that puts the individual in condition to suffer from hay fever. If the eyes are tender, sensitive and tearful, colored glasses and avoidance 214 COUGHS AND COLDS of strong light will help to relieve. Some local measures are helpful. For instance, those who have sensitive mucous membrane in nose and throat will do well to use a spray of any kind of bland oil night and morning, during the entire winter, and even in warm weather. Gargle of normal salt solu- tion is tonic to the mucous membrane, and a nasal wash of the same kind is all right. Right living will clear up most of the nasal difficulties. If there are mal- formations in the nose so extensive that they obstruct breathing they should be removed. But surgical means are not often required, if the individual keeps his blood in good condition. Again: Hay fever is a symptom of systemic abnormality. The correct 215 CURING CATARRH, treatment is to live so as to attain good general health. Asthma Bronchial asthma is so distinctive that it usually diagnoses itself. The difficulty in breathing is sometimes so extreme that it seems impossible to support life, but the asthma itself sel- dom terminates life. Some other dis- ease usually intervenes and proves fatal, before the asthma exhausts the individual. Severe as this condition often is, the lungs and bronchial tubes show very little change. Sometimes there are signs of bronchial inflammation, and sometimes the respiratory apparatus appears almost normal. In discussing this condition, we are excluding the form of asthma due to 216 COUGHS AND COLDS such severe heart disease that the heart is no longer able to pump the blood with normal force, and consequently the vital fluid is dammed back in the lungs, causing difficult breathing. Obviously, in this condition the re- covery of the asthma depends on the recovery of the heart. Asthma is one of those troubles usually looked on as incurable. Re- coveries are not expected, nor do re- coveries often occur under ordinary treatment. However, in ordinary cases of asthma under correct treatment (nat- ural treatment) recoveries will occur in at least eight cases out of ten. Such patients can remain well after they do recover, provided they will give them- selves the proper care. To show you what can and will hap- 217 CURING CATARRH, pen I shall take two instances from my own work: Mr. A. had suffered for seven years. Four of these years were spent in Ohio. Three of them were spent in Denver, where he went to be cured by the climate. He worked out of doors to get the benefit of the good air. But neither the climate nor the expert medical men helped him back to health. He continued to show asthmatic symp- toms daily. Then he came under my supervision. Please do not think that results come as quickly as they did in this case, but Mr. A. was free from asthmatic symptoms after following directions for two weeks. He re- mained under supervision two months. During that time he was educated in his manner of living, and he learned that by giving his body good care he 218 COUGHS AND COLDS could remain free from the affliction. He used to exhibit himself every few months during the next three years, and there was no return of asthma in that time. He was thirty-five years old at the time of his recovery. Mrs. C. had only suffered from asthma for four years, but it was in an aggravated form. Her spells were so bad that at times she had to spend several days in bed, due to weakness. She came from a family of doctors and had had expert attention from the cream of the profession in one of our largest cities. She was extremely hyperacid and suffered from indiges- tion. She was placed on a regime that reduced her hyperacidity and over- came her indigestion with the result that after she had lived correctly for a little less than a month she and the 219 CURING CATARRH, asthmatic symptoms parted company. (Again, allow me to warn you that re- sults cannot always be expected so quickly.) Mrs. C. was educated in ways of healthful living, and she re- mained well. To illustrate the trouble sometimes encountered in these cases, let us tell the tale of Mrs. N. She had a house facing the park but she had been re- duced to a condition where she could not even be taken there, much as she longed to go. Her asthma had troubled her over a decade. The good results came so quickly that they will not be recorded here. She was warned that she was not cured; but that the acid indigestion which caused the asthma had been relieved enough to cause the asthmatic symptoms to van- ish. At the end of the first month she 220 COUGHS AND COLDS knew she was well and refused to sub- mit to further supervision and educa- tion. Four weeks later she begged to be taken back into the fold again. She had actually gone back to pork sau- sage and hot cakes for breakfast, plus other deadly foods! This time she re- mained under supervision long enough to learn balance and to appreciate the importance of right living. When last heard from she had had no asthmatic troubles in five years. She was forty- two years old at the time of recovery. It would be easy to give illustra- tions among those who have suffered longer, but these will serve. The im- portant point is that in ordinary asthma the vast majority of patients can recover from all their evil symp- toms in a few months and they can through proper care remain well there- 221 CURING CATARRH, after. There may be cases of ordinary asthma that absolutely refuse to yield, but I have not seen any of them. Great improvement has been the invariable rule even in those cases that refused to yield completely. What causes asthma? In most in- stances autointoxication based on disturbances in the stomach and intes- tines. In this form of autointoxica- tion, hyperacidity is nearly always a factor. Every case of asthma I have seen has been due to abnormality in some other part of the body; in other words, asthma practically never origi- nates in the lungs, and it is useless to treat the lungs to overcome this trouble. The various forms of smoke and vapor and sedative drugs given may cause relaxation and temporary relief, but they do not cure. In the 222 COUGHS AND COLDS three cases quoted above, over half of the cures consisted in correcting the eating habits of the sufferers and over- coming the hyperacidity. The rest of the cure consisted in building up the general health. Prevention of return of the trouble was based on educating the patients to live in harmony with nature's laws. If the asthma is largely due to an excess of smoke, dust or gas in the air it will be necessary to eliminate that condition. If the asthma is chiefly due to some other debilitating trouble in the body, such as sluggish liver or poorly func- tioning kidneys, it is necessary to build up the general health so as to remove the cause. If the chief cause of asthma is con- stipation, establish bowel regularity 223 CURING CATARRH, through proper eating, drinking, ex- ercise and breathing and make the elimination normal. If the chief cause is indigestion and hyperacidity-and that is nearly al- ways the basic cause-eat right and drink right. Here is a good place to pause a lit- tle and call attention to a most impor- tant fact: All of the diseases dis- cussed in this book are one and the same thing, but the locations and the manifestations (symptoms) vary. Some have the idea that nasal ca- tarrh is a distinctly differentiated entity; laryngitis is another entity; asthma is a third individual proposi- tion. But this is not true. These per- versions are basically one, merely dif- fering in their manifestation. From this it would seem that the 224 COUGHS AND COLDS causation is alike all through, and it is: The cause of all disease is living contrary to the laws of nature. The cure of all diseases is living in conformity with nature's laws. While we are speaking of nature's laws, it is well to remember that man is physical, emotional and mental (many will add spiritual). It is as important to take the emotional and mental natures into consideration as the physical factors. Such depressing, destructive emo- tions as envy, jealousy, anger and hatred help to build disease. Those who have chronic troubles and are ad- dicted to this kind of emotional living must remedy the matter before obtain- ing ideal results. On the mental side it is necessary to become positive, that is, look forward 225 CURING CATARRH, and upward with faith and hope, ex- pecting the good things in life. Those who have not looked into these things often scoff when told that it is neces- sary to control the mind and the emo- tions, but a little disinterested study will soon make the truth manifest. The mind is the guide of the body. As it leads the body must follow. Peo- ple who think sick invariably become sick. Those who truly desire health must think health. "Now I place you," I can hear some say, as my personal patrons often speak when I admonish them about right thinking. "You are a Christian Scientist." But your surmise is wrong. If I were a Christian Scien- tist I should tell you that you have no body and you have no lungs and you have no bronchial tubes and hence you 226 COUGHS AND COLDS can't have any asthma or catarrh or bronchitis or tonsillitis. Mental truths were known long before Mrs. Mary Baker G. Eddy walked this earth and passed on. Read your Bible with an illuminated mind and you will find the important truths of one of the most recent hobbies-psychology-clearly stated. The first step in overcoming asthma is to make up your mind to get well. Then start on the physical side to build up the general health. Read what has been said on that subject under the heading of Chronic Ca- tarrh, and accordingly breathe fresh air, keep the bowels clean, make the skin active through baths and daily dry rubbings, improve the muscular, nervous and circulatory tone of the 227 CURING CATARRH, body through exercise-in other words, build up the general health. As for eating: If a patient is in bad condition and well fleshed it is a good idea to fast about a week. Dur- ing a fast a person should be sure to keep warm, especially keep the feet warm; see that the bowels are well cleansed even if it is necessary to use a daily injection of warm water; and avoid strenuous exertions. Also, be cheerful, allowing no fears to possess the mind. There is no danger in a fast, absolutely no danger in the short fast itself. But fear is dangerous dur- ing the fasting period. More than one individual has scared himself, or has been scared by others, to the point of death. Those who are afraid should not fast. In ordinary cases of asthma it is 228 COUGHS AND COLDS best to avoid meat, fish and eggs for two or four weeks. Here is a good eating plan for ordi- nary asthmatics: Breakfast One kind of fruit, cooked or raw, without sugar. Toasted or stale whole wheat bread. Butter. Cup of cambric tea (one-third milk and two-thirds hot water). Lunch Whole wheat crackers or whole wheat bread (stale or toasted). One or two cooked succulent vege- tables (see last part of book for list of vegetables and mode of cooking). Butter. Glass of milk or buttermilk. 229 CURING CATARRH, For example, a lunch like this: Stale whole wheat bread, butter, cooked carrots, spinach and a glass of buttermilk. Have plenty of the vege- tables. Dinner One kind of nuts, or cottage cheese, or milk, or buttermilk. Potatoes, or rice, or macaroni, or crisp com bread. Butter. One or two cooked succulent vege- tables, liberal amount. A raw vegetable, or a vegetable salad. For example: Pecan nut meats, baked potatoes, butter, stewed onions, string beans and celery. In making up menus I use the word "or" quite frequently, and my patrons have a peculiar habit of translating it to mean "and." Also, they are in the 230 COUGHS AND COLDS habit of telling me something like this: "You didn't say anything about mince pie or pickled pig snoots, so I ate them." Those who get results are the ones who actually follow instructions. Be sure to eat slowly, cook plainly and dress the foods simply, as else- where directed. Please note that in the diet outlines suggested, all the foods are absolutely plain and natural. They are the foods that allow the body to clean house. Pickles, preserves, cakes, pies, pud- dings, fancy dressings, fried foods, greasy foods and all kinds of messy preparations help to foul the body, and internal filth is the real cause of asthma. After living on the above plan long enough to get good results, start to 231 CURING CATARRH, eat as recommended under the head of Chronic Catarrh. It is impossible to get all the in- structions you need in one reading, or two, or even three. To rid the body of an "incurable" disease is important enough to merit deep study of the directions. Bronchial asthma is rather common among children, and it is mostly due to indigestion based on wrong feeding. The writer has just seen a girl who is five and one-half years of age. Four- teen months ago this girl suffered severely from this disorder. She was living largely on mushes, sugar, sweet desserts, white bread and butter with jellies and jam, and milk. She was extremely hyperacid. We placed her on a diet like this: Breakfast com- 232 COUGHS AND COLDS posed of glass of milk, one fresh fruit and whole wheat biscuit; lunch, stale whole wheat bread, butter, milk, and one cooked vegetable; dinner, baked potato, butter, one cooked vegetable, one raw vegetable, and one fruit. The bronchial asthma vanished in a few weeks and has not returned. There is a neighbor boy of the same age who has had this trouble almost three years. The boy's mother saw what was done for the little girl, but it was evidently not to her liking, for she had his tonsils removed; then she had his adenoids scraped out. Each operation was supposed to be curative. The boy still suffers from bronchial asthma. The mother still feeds him greasy potato chips, white bread, jelly, pie, and various other foods not fit for children to eat. 233 CURING CATARRH, Of course, children need fresh air; they need to be kept warm; they need to eat slowly; they need to keep their bowels clean; in short, they need good general care. If this care is extended, plus correct feeding, illness in child- hood is almost eradicated. Intestinal Indigestion The digestive tract is on the average over twenty-five feet long. We have full control of the food that enters for only a few inches-the mouth. If we guard the mouth well, the digestive organs will take care of themselves. Give the body the right care and there will be no indigestion in stomach or intestines; especially eat right to avoid digestive ills. Every cause that can in a systemic way produce disease in any part of 234 COUGHS AND COLDS the body can be instrumental in caus- ing indigestion, for depression of any one part causes depression of all parts. But the paramount cause of intes- tinal digestion is wrong eating. Fried foods, greasy cooking, too great mix- ing of foods in each meal, elaborate dishes, undermasticating, hurried eat- ing, and overeating are some of the principal factors that cause indiges- tion, intestinal or otherwise. One prominent factor in intestinal indigestion is an excessive use of strong cathartics; and another one is depressing or violent emotions. Noth- ing will produce acute indigestion more quickly than anger. In ordinary intestinal indigestion, observe these rules: 1.-If there are indications of too much acid in the body take one-third 235 CURING CATARRH, of a level teaspoonful of common bak- ing soda (sodium bicarbonate) and a glass of hot water thirty minutes be- fore each meal. Do this for, say, two weeks; then for another week take two doses of the soda; for the fourth week take one dose of soda daily, and then quit it. No, soda taken in this way and for such a short time will not hurt you, but it will help to hasten your vic- tory over the acidity which is usually a part of the indigestion. It is a good plan to keep up the hot water before meals for months. 2.-If constipation is present, for a while take a tepid enema, having a heaping teasponful of baking soda in the water. Use as small amount of water as you can to obtain results. If you can get results with one pint, use no more. 236 COUGHS AND COLDS 3.-Quit eating between meals. Use nothing but water between meals. Yes, taking milk and eggs and candy and broth and ice cream between meals is eating between meals. 4.-Masticate your food better than you ever did before, taking at least twenty minutes for your smallest meal and thirty minutes for your largest one-at least twenty minutes. 5.-Eat only foods that have been plainly cooked-no frying, no greasy foods, no messed up dishes like fancy dressings, puddings, cakes and crusty pastries. 6.-Eat only two or three foods at a meal until you have given the diges- tion a chance to return to normal. No, it is not necessary to eat great variety to obtain sufficient nourishment. A 237 CUBING CATABRH, plan like this, for instance, would give you plenty of nourishment: Breakfast Milk, stale or toasted bread and butter. Lunch N cooked succulent vegetable, either an egg or a dish of cottage cheese, and crackers and butter. Dinner Lean meat or fish, baked potatoes, butter, and one cooked succulent vege- table. One can obtain plenty of nourish- ment from a menu like that until the intestines have time to regain tone. Then make the menus more elaborate, and be sure to add raw vegetables to 238 COUGHS AND COLDS every dinner as soon as digestion im- proves. In addition to the outline above, ob- serve all health rules in this book, such as exercising, deep breathing, caring for the skin and correct drinking. One form of indigestion of special interest in this book is intestinal ca- tarrh, which is a condition in which the intestinal mucous membrane is so irritated that there is too free a flow of mucus. This condition may be so mild that there are almost no symp- toms. There may be too much gas in the intestines; alternate constipation and diarrhea may also occur. There may be discomfort or it may be absent. Ordinary intestinal catarrh needs no special treatment aside from the kind recommended under the heading of chronic catarrh. Eat carefully, ex- 239 CURING CATARRH, ercise, keep the body clean within and without-in brief, build up the general health through living so as to create first-class blood. Then the catarrhal condition soon begins to improve. If constipation is present I have found it a good plan to lubricate the bowel by giving the patient about a tablespoonful of paraffin oil daily- the preparation commonly known as mineral oil. Various makes will be found on the market. Mucous colitis merits special atten- tion for it is a disease that is generally considered incurable. Every patron who has come to me with this trouble has been told by other doctors that there is no way of recovering. Fortu- nately, this dark view is based on error. Those who have the will to recover can generally do so. The percentage of 240 COUGHS AND COLDS recoveries under my observation has been very large. Read this chapter if you have any kind of indigestion. In mucous colitis membranes, casts or great shreds of mucus are passed from time to time. Sometimes there is great abdominal pain before such pas- sage; sometimes it is merely discom- fort. Alternating constipation and diarrhea are sometimes annoying symptoms. The trouble is usually ac- companied by various forms of nerv- ousness. Ordinary mucous colitis is accompanied by great depression. One of the greatest problems is to instill a little hope and faith in the patients. Even when they see great improve- ment they are apt to slip back into the blues. My experience has been that people of good intellect who have this trouble can almost always overcome 241 CUBING CATABBH, it; but those who are short on intel- lect and long on depressing emotions are very difficult to help. What is the cause of mucous colitis? The same as the cause of other ca- tarrh, but here wrong eating is more in evidence than in most cases. Also, wrong direction of the thoughts and emotions plays a great part. To illustrate: A business man who had made a financial success when he was only thirty years old had applied himself so closely to winning the busi- ness game that he had ruined his health. The result was a severe case of mucous colitis. When he came under my observation he was not quite thirty-one years old. For four years he had been afflicted with this trouble, which was growing worse all the time. He had the form that gives great ab- 242 COUGHS AND COLDS dominal pains; he was alternately troubled with diarrhea and constipa- tion. Periodically he passed great shreds of mucus, and these spells left him very weak. Moderate intestinal hemorrhage was frequent. He had been under treatment all the time. Finally, in desperation, he pinned his doctors down to facts and wanted to know if they were merely playing with him for the sake of fees, or if they ever did obtain results; and if they did obtain results, how long did it take ? Then he was told that his condition was incurable, but if he would give himself good care he might be fairly comfortable at most times. He quit doctoring, and for two months he drifted. Then he met one of my old patrons who recovered ten years previously, with no relapse. He 243 CURING CATARRH, hastened down to my office. He told me his tale of woe, and frankly ex- pressed his opinion of the medical pro- fession, myself included. Then he de- manded that I guarantee to cure him. I told him that I never cure anybody; that I did not cure the gentleman whom he had met who had made such a nice recovery under my care; that I supply the knowledge and guidance, but nature does the curing; that I had never failed to help a person of his age and condition back to health, and presumably I could help him too; that if he came to me it was a sort of a sporting venture, in which I would do my best and he would have to cooper- ate. And then I frankly told him that without any personal reason he had been very insulting to me, but I would overlook this, due to his physical and 244 COUGHS AND COLDS mental condition; however, in the future it would be neither tolerated nor overlooked, if he attempted to repeat. He placed himself in my care, and this was the principal part of the treat- ment: 1.-On retiring in the evening and arising in the morning he was to re- peat so loud that he could hear the words, several times, this sentiment: "I am going to recover in spite of everything." When the blues came on during the day he was to repeat these words: "I am now living ac- cording to the laws of nature; it is natural to be healthy; so I will and must grow well." Why this form of autosuggestion ? Because it was neces- sary to eradicate from his mind the idea of incurability. Autosuggestion 245 CURING CATARRH, is a very powerful healing factor if it is used to assert truth. If it is used to assert fallacy or lies it is worse than nugatory-it is then harmful. Self- deception is the worst form of lying. 2.-He had retired from business due to physical debility. He had been trying to walk miles at a time and usually finished in a semi-collapsed condition. I instructed him to walk just a few blocks at a time but sit out in the sunshine and rest. Then grad- ually increase his walks and exercise as he gained strength, but never exer- cise to the point of fagging. In other words, we reserved some of his energy for health building. 3.-In the past he used to eat even when having his worst spells of indi- gestion. He was instructed to miss a meal or two entirely when having 246 COUGHS AND COLDS his worst troubles; at such times he could sip all the hot water he wished, adding a pinch of common baking soda on account of its sweetening effect. 4.-To escape the evil effects of con- stipation until he could make the bowels function normally, we used the mildest laxatives we could think of- in his case agar-agar, mineral oil and cascara, keeping the amount as low as possible and still get results. We also used small tepid enemas in which we dissolved a heaped teaspoonful of baking soda to the quart of water. We used the soda because of his acid con- dition. 5.-In the middle of the forenoon and in the middle of the afternoon he rested body and mind, that is, relaxed, for an hour. 247 CURING CATARRH, 6.-As the digestive disturbance was extreme, affecting both stomach and bowels, we had to start with the simplest of foods. For a time we eliminated all products made of yeast, all meats, in fact we eliminated every- thing except the plainest of foods. The plan was as follows: Breakfast Crisped white crackers, butter and a glass of milk. Lunch, Plainly cooked rice, glass of milk, and one plainly cooked succulent vege- table. Dinner Baked potato, butter, and one plainly cooked succulent vegetable. The reason for the white crackers 248 COUGHS AND COLDS was that although they are not as good food as the whole wheat products, they are easier to digest. Rice is also easy to digest. So is baked potato. The vegetables were given because when they are properly prepared they are easy to digest; they help to overcome the acidity of the body, and they help to regulate the bowels. As he improved, we allowed him to have fruit for breakfast; and we allowed more variety at lunch; and we soon let him have eggs or fish for dinner. Also we allowed him to have crisp head lettuce and tender celery, as soon as the bleeding from the lower bowel ceased. At the end of two months we were feeding him very much according to the outlines in the chapter on Chronic Catarrh. What were the results in this case? 249 CUBING CATABBH, Decided improvement in the digestion was noted in two weeks. He had less gas; he was less nervous, and he slept better. During the first month the bleeding from the bowels and the ab- dominal cramps vanished; the dis- charge of mucus grew less frequent and smaller in amount. At the end of two months the patient was feeling much stronger, and he was anxious to get back to business, but there was still some mucus in the intestines. As the young man had plenty of funds and for the time being no busi- ness connections he was told that it would be a good thing to go to some warm climate and spend a few months out of doors and build up his general health. He went to California and he remained there three months. He returned in excellent health. It took 250 COUGHS AND COLDS him, all told, about three months to conquer the mucous colitis. He could have done it without going to Cali- fornia, of course, for he was almost well when he started on his journey. He is now back in business harness, doing well in every way. The reason for this tale is that mucous colitis is the worst form of in- testinal indigestion of which I know. If you can cure it, you can cure any other kind of intestinal catarrh. And the outline for so doing is here given. It is impossible to describe in detail every kind of indigestion, and give the treatment. I have never seen two cases that were alike. The funda- mentals are alike, but the details differ. Read the two last chapters of this book. Many can take the directions here 251 CURING CATARRH, and help themselves back to health. Others lack the faculty and will have to have some one with the proper knowledge to give them personal guidance. Here again I wish to emphasize a truth that has been told elsewhere in this volume. I tell about good results obtained. The reason for these excel- lent results is not that the writer is a wonder-far, far from it. The reason is that right principles are used, and the sick are treated in accordance with the laws of nature. When this is done the results will come no matter who the guide or teacher or doctor may be. 252 COUGHS AND COLDS FOOD CLASSIFICATION PROTEINS The principal sources of protein are: 1. Meats of all kinds (the lean part), such as beef, veal, mutton, lean pork, chicken, turkey, duck, goose, game, both feathered and furred, in fact, all lean flesh from animals and birds. 2. Fish of all kinds, such as trout, salmon, herring, pickerel, pike, cod, halibut, mackerel, sturgeon, and shad. Also shellfish, like oysters (which are mostly water), clams, crabs and lobsters. 3. Legumes, the chief of which are all kinds of dried beans, dried peas, lentils and peanuts. Also green peas, and both the green and the dried lima beans. 4. Dairy products, including sweet milk, clabbered milk, buttermilk. 253 CURING CATARRH, cottage cheese and all other kinds of cheese. Cream contains but little protein, and butter practi- cally none. 5. Nuts, especially almonds, Brazil nuts, filberts, hickory nuts, pe- cans, English walnuts, butter- nuts, pistachios and pignolias. (Peanuts are legumes, not real nuts. Chestnuts contain much starch and only a little protein.) STARCHES The chief sources of our starchy foods are: 1. Cereals, the most important being wheats of all kinds, Indian corn, rice, rye, barley, oats. No mat- ter in what form we eat them- in bread, cakes, mushes, flaked or puffed cereals-they are starchy. 2. Tubers, the most important being Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes and Jerusalem artichoke. The dash- een is also a tuber, which resem- bles the Irish potato in consist- ency, and has an agreeable flavor. 254 COUGHS AND COLDS 3. Legumes, especially when they are ripe. The ripe limas, navy beans and other kinds of ripe beans, peas, lentils and peanuts are starchy. Green limas and young peas contain more starch than the other vegetables usually classi- fied as succulent. 4. Nuts, but only a few varieties. Acorns, dried chestnuts and co- coanuts are rich in starch. Hubbard squash contains about the same proportion of starch as the Irish potato. Parsnips are rich in starch. Green bananas are about as starchy as Irish potatoes, but ripe bananas contain only a trace of starch, for it has been turned to sugar. Pumpkins are of watery consist- ency, and can be classed with the suc- culent vegetables. Tapioca and sago are very starchy. Corn starch is the starchy essence of the corn. Spaghetti and macaroni are cereals, hence starchy. 255 CUBING CATARRH, SUGARS The principal sources of sugars are: 1. Sweet fruits, the most important of which are ripe bananas, cur- rants, sweet grapes, raisins, sweet prunes, figs, dates and persim- mons. All ripe fruits contain some sugar and the dried fruits are rich in this food element. 2. Sugar cane and sugar beets, from which nearly all of the refined white sugar is made. 3. Honey. 4. Sap of the sugar maple. FATS AND OILS The chief sources of our fats are: 1. Dairy products-cream, butter and some rich cheeses. 2. Flesh of dead animals, especially pork, mutton and beef, that have been fattened. 3. Fat fish, such as herring, shad and salmon trout. 4. Legumes, Some kinds of peanuts 256 COUGHS AND COLDS are very oily, and so are soy beans. 5. Nuts of nearly every kind. Al- monds, Brazil nuts, filberts, hick- ory nuts, pecans, English wal- nuts, butternuts, cocoanuts, pis- tachios and acorns are rich in oil. SUCCULENT VEGETABLES The principal succulent vegetables are: Asparagus, beets, cabbage, carrots, turnips, parsnips, cauliflower, cucum- ber, egg plant, lettuce, okra (gumbo), onions, radish, summer squash, toma- toes, spinach, kohl-rabi, kale, Brussels sprouts, cone artichoke, chard, string beans, celery, turnip tops, lotus, en- dive, dandelion, oyster plant, rutabaga and garlic. Though corn is really a cereal, corn in the milk, either on the cob or canned, and green peas may also be classed with the succulent vege- tables. Also the pumpkin. Mushroom is a fungus. Those who are fond of it may partake occasion- 257 CUBING CATARRH, ally, but fungous growths cannot be recommended as a steady diet. Young lima beans are quite starchy, as much so as Irish potatoes. Par- snips are also quite rich in starch. Radishes are delicious peeled and cooked. Macaroni and spaghetti are not vegetables. They are made from wheat and are very starchy. They are cereal foods. RAW SALAD VEGETABLES These are also succulent vegetables. The principal salad vegetables are: Lettuce, celery, endive, romaine, chicory, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, celery cabbage, parsley, field lettuce, cress. All leaves that are relished may be used for salad purposes. Raw onions in moderation may be used for flavoring, and garlic likewise. Those who are fond of raw root vege- tables and have good digestive power may occasionally eat some raw car- rots or turnips, but they should masti- cate these foods very well. Grated carrot tastes well in salads. 258 COUGHS AND COLDS FRUITS The term "acid fruit" means fruit that is quite sour, like sour apples, pineapples and lemons. "Subacid fruit" is a mild fruit, con- taining only a little acid, such as mild pears, sweet apples and good blueber- ries. Some of the most common juicy fruits are: Apples, lemons, oranges, peaches, pears, strawberries, apricots, avoca- does, blackberries, cherries, cranber- ries, currants, gooseberries, grapes, huckleberries, blueberries, mulberries, nectarines, olives, pineapples, plums, raspberries and whortleberries. The melons (watermelon, musk- melon, cantaloupe, casaba, honey dew, etc.), rhubarb stalk and tomatoes are so like fruit that for practical purposes we can call them so. The most important sweet fruits are: Ripe bananas, sweet prunes, sweet grapes, raisins, dried currants, figs, dates and persimmons. 259 CUBING CATARRH, Cooking Hints In most of my manuals of instruc- tions reference is made to "Eating for Health and Efficiency," with the recommendation that the reader ob- tain that work and follow directions in various chapters. This has aroused the ire of some readers who see in it a brazen book-selling scheme; they say that everything should be complete in one book. By adding 500 pages to this book, it would be possible to give a full trea- tise on the subject of selecting, pre- paring and combining foods, but it is not practicable to do this. This has been done, however, in "Eating for Health and Efficiency," which tells 260 COUGHS AND COLDS what foods to select, how to prepare them, how to combine them, how to dress them and which ones of them to eat in various circumstances of climate and occupation. I am convinced that every family should have a work of this nature, written from the stand- point of health. True, a work of this kind costs a few dollars, but it is good for life and it can be used to save a person from much disease and suffer- ing, yes, even from premature death. When intelligently used, it can easily be made to pay thousands of dollars worth of dividends in health. Every family owes it to itself to have this kind of information in the home. Just pause and consider a little: The human body is composed of air, water and food. Food is the basis of the material part of life. It is the 261 CURING CATARRH, stone and brick and wood and glass and mortar and steel that enter into the building of our bodies. You have watched builders erect various kinds of edifices. They do not scramble their materials into a haphazard heap. They know how and where to place the different materials they use. They do not throw window panes in the mortar; they do not attempt to attach steel beams to each other by means of wooden pegs; they do not scatter great blocks of stone on the roof. The human body is far more deli- cate, complex and important than any edifice erected by man. If you value this human structure of yours supply to it the right kind of food, in correct combinations, in proper quantities, at propitious times. For some thou- sands of years a few individuals have 262 COUGHS AND COLDS known that right feeding is the most important factor in maintaining phys- ical health, or in regaining lost health. Now that the printing presses have been at work for several centuries everybody ought to have this knowl- edge. But vital truth does travel very slowly. You ought to have a complete trea- tise on the subject of food and feed- ing, and then you ought to study it until you know the fundamentals. Your health largely depends on such knowledge, and health is the founda- tion on which you can erect your struc- ture of successful life. This is not a complete treatise on food preparation; it is merely a col- lection of a few important points. I trust that after you have absorbed the knowledge in these pages and put it 263 CURING CATARRH, into practice you will do yourself and your family the favor of making your food and feeding knowledge as com- plete as it needs to be. Meat: Prepare by means of stew- ing, baking in the oven, roasting in the old fashion before or above an open fire, broiling or steaming. Or use a fireless cooker or a pressure cooker. If you use either of the latter two methods you will find directions ac- companying the utensils, but you need not season as they direct. The proper way to obtain a tender, juicy piece of meat is to apply high heat in the very beginning, for about fifteen minutes in case it is a moderate sized piece of meat, and then finish the cooking at a lower temperature. If you place a piece of meat in a cool oven, grad- 264 COUGHS AND COLDS ually raise the temperature and finish with high heat, you are very apt to have a tough, dry roast. If you put the meat into a piping hot oven the heat sears the surface and keeps the juices in the meat. If meat is boiled it should not be seasoned until it is almost cooked. Season in moderation always. An ex- cess of salt tends to age the individual prematurely. To mix greasy meat juices with flour and other kinds of starch, making; thickened gravy, or brown gravy is a mistake from the standpoint of health. Cooking grease into flour or into other forms of starch produces food that is very helpful in building catarrh and other ills. Frying is the most objectionable mode of cooking. The process of fry- 265 CURING CATARRH, ing renders a part of the food indi- gestible, and after a while helps to ruin the digestive apparatus. "But I do not fry in lard; I use butter," some say, thinking that this makes the proc- ess all right. It is not the source of the fat that is objectionable, it is the fry- ing process itself. Butter-fried foods are as bad as lard-fried ones. Others are still more virtuous and say: "I don't use animal grease; I fry in olive oil." These individuals have the idea that if they use vegetable fats for fry- ing the process is innocent. Again, it is not the source of the fat that is ob- jectionable; it is the fiying process itself that is bad. Don't fry anything if you are desirous of building the best kind of health. Avoid greasy cooking. Season the meats when the cooking process is almost finished or let each 266 COUGHS AND COLDS individual do most of the seasoning at the table. Pepper, mustard, sharp sauces and hot condiments are irri- tants which overstimulate the appetite, lead to overeating and hurt the diges- tive organs. Pickled and preserved meats are rather poor foods, and should seldom be used. Catarrhal subjects should never eat meat more than once a day in cold weather, and not to exceed three times a week in summer. Meat is not a necessary food. Fish is best boiled, broiled or baked. Fish easily becomes tainted, so select it with care to see that it is fresh. Avoid fried fish. Eggs can be prepared in your favorite way, with the exception that 267 CURING CATARRH, they are not to be cooked in much grease. Greasing a pan enough to keep the eggs (or other foods) from sticking does not do any harm. Eggs can be made into omelettes dr scrambled. But to cook eggs in sput- tering grease is wrong. Soft boiled eggs, poached eggs and coddled eggs are easy to digest. If properly prepared, hard boiled eggs are also easy to digest. The wrong way to cook a hard boiled egg is to leave it in boiling water five or six minutes. The right way is to cook it twenty or thirty minutes. Then it becomes mealy and tender. Potatoes are best baked, or boiled in the jacket or steamed. If potatoes are peeled, soaked in cold water and then cooked they lose a large part of 268 COUGHS AND COLDS their nutritive value and a very large portion of their health-bearing virtues -natural salts. If potatoes are well scrubbed and baked, they can be eaten peeling and all. From the standpoint of health, the best portion of the potato is close to the skin. If you wish to spoil your potatoes fry them-German, French, or Amer- ican method will do. It is not the nationality of the method that is ob- jectionable; it is the frying process itself that is bad. Bread should be made as near as possible from whole grain flour, that is, flour made by grinding the entire grain. White flour products are very easy to digest, but they are poor foods. Refined flour is poor in mineral ele- 269 CURING CATARRH, ments, poor in the vital principles that build rich blood and strength and health. It is a blood-starving food. Whole wheat flour products are a little harder to digest than the white flour foods, but ordinary digestion will take care of the whole grain products, and they are the ones that should be used. Unfortunately, the great flour milling interests have found it to their financial advantage to mislead the public on this point, which is one rea- son that they now are advertising eat- ing bran. Yes, there are plenty of "experts" who will tell of the superi- ority of white flour-for a considera- tion. And there are multitudes of housewives who are deceived to accept the death-dealing white loaves. If you value your health get the habit of using as much whole grain 270 COUGHS AND COLDS flour as you can, and as little of the white flour products as possible. Yeast bread should be stale before it is consumed, and bread should al- ways be well masticated. Avoid fresh yeast bread. Toasting starts the digestive proc- ess by changing a part of the bread starch into a form of sugar, and there is no objection to it. The best method of toasting is to slice stale bread fairly thin and put into a slow oven until it is crisped throughout. Muffins, gems, baking powder bis- cuits and soda biscuits can safely be eaten fresh provided they are made thin, well baked and thoroughly masti- cated. They take the place of bread. Corn bread should be made thin and baked crisp and crusty. It should be extra well masticated. 271 CURING CATARRH, To use sugar, jelly, jam and fruit preserves on bread is a mistake, for in the end the result is abnormal fer- mentation and production of an ex- cessive amount of acid and gas in the digestive organs. This helps to build catarrh in those who have a catarrhal tendency. Cooked cereals, that is, mushes made out of grains, such as oats or wheat, are good food provided no sugar is added to them, and further provided that they are thoroughly masticated. It should require fifteen minutes to eat a dish of such cooked cereal. But most people take but three or four minutes for this purpose and bury the cereal in sugar. "How can one masticate mush?" is a frequent question. It is not the chewing that 272 COUGHS AND COLDS is important in eating this dish, it is the insalivation. Cereal mushes are starchy and should be well mixed with saliva. Otherwise they readily go into abnormal fermentation. It is custom- ary to feed such food to children. The mushes are rich in nourishment, but they are very poor foods for the young people because children swal- low them without giving them mouth attention, and the result is fermenta- tion in the digestive organs, with ex- cessive production of gas and acid. Then follow such troubles as adenoids, enlarged glands, swollen tonsils, ca- tarrh and various forms of skin eruptions. Verily this sounds less and less like a cooking chapter. But it is well to remember that breakfast mushes are mostly a curse, 273 CURING CATARRH, especially for children. It is all right for slow and careful masticaters to eat mushes. White or refined sugar is one of our health problems. A person quickly acquires a taste for sugar. It quickly digests, and can in a short time be turned into heat and energy. Its one virtue is that it is a quickly available source of heat and energy. Its great fault is that it is almost a pure carbon, a dead food, devoid of all health-giving properties. From the health standpoint it is the worst of all our staples. It should be eaten in very limited quantities. We ought to obtain most of our sugar from vari- ous kinds of berries, melons and fruits; also from honey, maple sugar and the dark sugars. Instead of eating a hun- 274 COUGHS AND COLDS dred pounds of white sugar apiece each year, as Americans do, they should confine themselves to about one-tenth of this quantity. Vegetables: First look up the list of succulent vegetables in this book, and then review in your mind how they are usually prepared. Let us use string beans as an example: They are first made ready, then placed in salted water which often contains a piece of bacon or other fat meat; then they are cooked until tender; then the cooking water is drained off; then some sort of sauce, either of milk and flour, or some kind of greasy substance, is con- cocted, and then this disguised vege- table is served. If a person studied to do the worst possible, it would be difficult to pre- 275 CURING CATARRH, pare a more worthless dish from the health standpoint; that kind of cook- ing deprives the valuable vegetables of most of their salts. Let us see how string beans should be prepared to give the consumer full benefit: After stringing and washing, place the beans in clear unseasoned water and allow to cook until tender. Then season moderately and serve with the cooking water. That is all there is to it. Let us see why this is the correct way: Using salt in the water merely adds a chemical of which the body has no need when the eating is right; an ex- cess of salt toughens the food. Add- ing meat or grease while the vegetable is cooking makes the beans too diffi- cult to digest-greasy cooking in the end produces indigestion. If salt is 276 COUGHS AND COLDS desired, add the salt when the beans are almost ready to be taken from the fire. Then the vegetable is not made tough. The cooking water contains most of the valuable cell salts origi- nally in the string beans; as these cell salts are health-builders they should be consumed. Use a moderate amount of cooking water. Really, no dressing has to be used, but most people prefer it. For dress- ing use a little butter, or some real cream, or oil, or a little salt, or salt and lemon juice. Avoid vinegar in dressing vegetables. Use tart fruit juices instead. Why this lengthy discourse on the modest string bean? Because it applies to almost all of the vegetables. You can take turnips, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, onions 277 CURING CATARRH, or almost any succulent vegetable and prepare in this manner, so as to build health. Cook them plainly, without adding meat or grease while the cook- ing is going on; retain the cooking water because that contains most of the health-building salts; and use only simple seasoning. Serving vegetables in thin flour or starch paste is poor taste, and very poor cooking. Steaming and fireless cooking and pressure cooking are good methods of preparing vegetables. Vegetable salads: For a list of these vegetables see the paragraphs under the heading of Raw Salad Vege- tables. The raw vegetables contain salts and juices that help to keep the blood alkaline and pure and healthy. If pos- 278 COUGHS AND COLDS sible, raw vegetables should form a part of at least one meal daily-make it possible. It would be fine to serve them twice a day. The raw root vegetables are some- what difficult to digest. Some find it trying to digest raw cabbage and raw onions. But the average digestive apparatus will take good care of let- tuce, celery and other leafy salad vegetables. Any of the raw leafy vegetables that the individual relishes and is able to digest make good salad materials. Those who have excellent digestion can at times add raw root vegetables to their salad, such as car- rots, turnips and radishes; or cucum- bers; or any other raw vegetable that pleases the taste. Raw vegetables should be very well masticated. Some like to make combination 279 CURING CATARRH, salads containing from four to eight or even more vegetables. This may serve for those with exceptionally good digestion, but the best way is to eat one or two or three raw vegetables as the salad part of the meal, and let the other fellow have the complex mix- tures. Simplicity is an aid to health. The chief reason for eating raw vegetables is to furnish elements to keep the blood in its normal alkaline reaction. Vinegar is acidulating to the body, and for this reason it should not be used on salads or in any other way. Those who want to make their foods sour should add lemon juice, or grapefruit juice, or pineapple juice, or the juice of any other tart fruit. It is well to remember that a mod- erate amount of these fruit acids does not acidulate the body, but vinegar has 280 COUGHS AND COLDS this evil effect. Those who like mixed salad dressings should know that lemon juice can be employed where vinegar has been used in the past. People with natural taste enjoy raw vegetables without dressing. A little salt may be used; or salt and oil; or salt, oil and lemon juice; or lemon juice and salt. The greatest blood-purifying aid is obtained when the salad ingredients are raw. Fruit salads are best when the fruits or berries used are raw. A liberal amount of lettuce or celery mixed with the fruit improves the salad as a health-builder. Fruits: They are best raw, with- out sugar. Much fruit is spoiled by being made into jelly, jam and pre- serves. Canned vegetables are quite 281 CURING CATARRH, good when fresh ones are out of the question, but canned fruits ferment too easily in the digestive tract, and they are usually embalmed in syrup. If fresh fruits are not to be had, get a supply of good dried fruits, or evap- orated fruits. Use canned fruits rather seldom. "But my fruits are home canned," I hear ye good house- wife say. It is the canning in syrup and the subsequent abnormal ferment- ing to which objection is made, not the place where the canning is done. Cooked fruits should be consumed the same day as they are prepared. Fruits are health builders when they are not ruined in preparation and com- bination. The chief mistake made is to dose them with sugar. Raisins, figs and dates can be used as sweeteners. In baking apples, for instance: Core 282 COUGHS AND COLDS the apples, and fill the centers with thoroughly soaked raisins, using the juice for dressing or sauce on the apple. (If the raisins are not soaked they will not sweeten the apple.) The results are good. These are a few fundamental hints on cooking for health. I hope they will help you, also that they will arouse your interest enough so that you will learn more of the subject of food and feeding. Health is yours if you make a rea- sonable effort, physically and men- tally, to obtain it. 283 Eating for Health and Efficiency A Course of Health Instruction: In Five Volumes, Price $10.00 CONTENTS OF COMPLETE WORK BOOK ONE CHAPTER PAGE 1. The Importance of Proper Eating . . 1 An illustration. Disease cured by proper eating. Building of strong bodies. Feed- ing most important health factor. How the body uses foods. Menu for school child. 2. Food Classification 19 Starches. Sugars. Oils and Fats. Succu- lent vegetables. Salad vegetables. Juicy fruits and sweet fruits. Menu for young people with pimply faces. 3. Meat Eating 37 Ripened meats. Fresh meats best. Meats easy to digest. Overeating of meats. Meats as stimulants. How often to eat meats. Milk, eggs and dairy products. 4. Cold Weather Eating for Meat Eaters . 51 Balanced meals. Advantages of proper eat- ing. Menus for sedentary individuals. Menus explained. Menu for manual la- borers. CONTENTS OF COMPLETE WORK CHAPTER PAGE 5. The Beneficial Effects of a Correct Diet 71 Money saved. Earning capacity increased. Common troubles, like colds, bad breath ' ' that tired feeling, ' ' insomnia, coated tongue, obesity and bad complexion cured by right eating. Face and figure improved and beauty increased. 6. Vegetarian Diet 81 All necessary food principles in vegetarian diet. Milk and eggs as addition to vege- tarian food. Effects of overeating of starch. Menus for sedentary individuals and manual laborers. Fruitarians. 7. Cold Weather Eating for Vegetarians . 94 Vegetarianism and health. Menus for sed- entary individuals. Cost of some vegetable foods. Menu for laborer. BOOK TWO 8. Cooking for Health-a .... Ill Introduction. Meat cooking. Recipes. Stewing, boiling, baking, roasting, broiling, steaming, fireless cooking, pressure cooking, frying, seasoning. Preparing eggs and fish. 0. Cooking for Health-b .... 124 Preparing beans, peas and lentils. Prepar- ing all kinds of cereals-bread, biscuit, macaroni, mushes, etc. Cooking potatoes and other tubers. CONTENTS OF COMPLETE WORK CHAPTER PAGE 10. Cooking for Health-c .... 135 Preparing succulent vegetables. Prepara- tions and recipes for vegetable salads, fruit and vegetable salads, fruit and nut and vegetable salads. SalaJ dressings. Cook- ing fruit. Dairy products. 11. Warm Weather Eating for Meat Eaters 158 Menus for sedentary workers, and com- ments. Menus for laborers. General hints for summer eating. 12. Warm Weather Eating for Vegetarians 173 Menus for light workers. Menus for labor- ers. Colds-their prevention and cure. Diet for those who easily take cold. 13. Correct Food Combining-a . . . 190 Importance of correct combining. Preju- dices regarding food. Simplicity in feed- ing. 14. Correct Food Combining-b . . . 197 Combining of meat and other proteins, fats and oils, milk, starchy foods, vegetables, juicy fruits and acid fruits and sweet fruits, sugar and other sweets. 15. Correct Food Combining-c . . . 204 Notes and illustrations of combining. Nu- merous meals planned. CONTENTS OF COMPLETE WORK BOOK THREE CHAPTER PAGE 16. Eating to Reduce Weight .... 219 Fatness a disease. Several reducing plans. Normal weight. Reducing menus. 17. Eating to Gain Weight .... 235 Thinness and longevity. Hints for different types of thin people. Thinness and hyper- acidity. Menus for thin people. Chronic catarrh and its cure. 18. Eating in Pregnancy and During the Nursing Period 248 ' ' Eating for two. ' ' Eating during the first half of pregnancy; during the last half. Morning sickness and other disturbances seldom necessary. Easy childbirth. Eat- ing during nursing period. Menus. 19. Feeding the Baby 263 How often to feed. Mother's milk best. Artificial feeding. Cow's milk in infancy. Fruit and vegetable juices. Weaning. Cleanliness. 20. Feeding the Children .... 280 Feeding during second year. Feeding after second year. Lunching. Menus. Simple feeding. Various foods at different ages. Infantile paralysis. CONTENTS OF COMPLETE WORK CHAPTER PAGE 21. Eating after Passing Middle Age . . 303 Necessity of changing habits with passing years. Chronic disease unnecessary. Eules for retaining health. Menus for light workers. Menus for manual laborers. BOOK FOUR 22. Laxative Foods 319 Constipation a serious trouble. Experi- ences. Laxatives, cathartics and enemas. Menus for the constipated. How to substi- tute one food for another. 23. Constipating Foods 331 Eefined foods and constipation. Effect of fresh vegetables, fruits and cream. Treat- ment of persistent diarrhea. Coffee and tea and constipation. 24. When and How to Eat .... 339 Work and eating time. Number of meals per day. Regularity. Heavy work and di- gestion. How to eat. Importance of thor- ough mastication. Eules for eating. 25. How Much to Eat 350 Size of many portions. Eules for learning how much one needs. How to detect over- eating. Menus for those suffering with the hives. CONTENTS OF COMPLETE WORK Chapter page 26. Feeding in Acute Disease . . . 360 Pain and fever. Feeding in fever. Typhoid and its treatment. Menus after fevers and fasts. 27. Feeding in Chronic Disease . . . 376 Cause of chronic disease. Its cure. Eules for feeding. Cleansing diet. Menus. How to retain health. 28. Eating Away from Home-When Trav- eling 387 Banquets. Luncheons and teas. Eating when traveling. Eating in country hotels. Meals planned. 29. Popular Menus and Comment . . . 396 Menus of a club, a diner, a diet squad. Feeding the soldiers. Thanksgiving day menu. BOOK FIVE 30. Eating in the Country and in Country Towns 413 Eeducing high living cost. Gardening. Popular country meals. Milk and eggs on the farm. Menus. Country cooking. 31. Eaw Foods 433 Foods that are good raw. Eaw cereals hard to digest. Meaning of disease symp- toms-coated tongue, red nose, bad com- plexion, falling hair, cold sores, etc. CONTENTS OF COMPLETE WORK CHAPTER PAGE 32. Candies and Confections .... 443 Craving for sweets. Sweet fruits and their uses. Meals containing sweet fruits. Candy meals. 33. Nuts and Peanuts 450 Digestion of nuts. Their food value. Vari- ous nut preparations. Peanut preparations in detail. 34. Diet Hints for Various Types . . . 464 Nervous types. Thin people. Plethoric in- dividuals. Fat people. Hints for the rheu- matic. Menus for rheumatics. 35. What and When to Drink . . . 476 Coffee, tea, chocolate and fruit drinks. Al- cohol. Beer substitutes. Milk. Cereal drinks. Water the best beverage. Milk diet. 36. Popular Healing Systems Explained . 487 Allopaths, Eclectics and Homeopaths. Me- chanical systems, like osteopathy and chiro- practic. Mental systems like Christian Science and New Thought. The rational system. The Complete Work in 5 Volumes Price $10.00 Postpaid GRANT PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC., 1133 Broadway, New York