The regular use of nasal douches is not advisable. The mucous membrane of the nose is intolerant of watery solutions, and a chronic congested condition or even infection of air cavities in the skull can be brought about by the constant use of sprays and douches. Where special conditions render it necessary, these should be used only on the advice of a physician. When the nose is clogged with soot or dust, a very gentle spray of a warm, weak solution of salt and water, in the anterior nostrils, may do no harm. Picking of the nose should be strictly avoided. This is a fertile cause of infection. In blowing the nose care should be taken to close one nostril completely and to blow through the other without undue force. Otherwise, infection may be carried into the ear passages or the cavities communicating with the nose and give rise to serious trouble. When suffering from a cold, gauze or cheese-cloth should be used instead of a handkerchief and burned after use. Sneeze into the gauze, and thus avoid spraying infection into the surrounding atmosphere. [Sidenote: Emergency Treatment of Colds] After one has actually caught cold the rules above given for preventing a cold are in most particulars reversed. One should then avoid drafts, variable temperature and any severe "skin gymnastics." The paradox, that exposure to drafts is preventive of colds, but is likely to add to the cold after it is caught, is not more surprizing than the paradox that exercise keeps a man well, but that when he is sick it is better to rest. After a cold has actually been contracted, the great effort should be to keep the body thoroughly warm, especially the feet. To accomplish this it is often the wisest course for one who has a cold to remain in bed a full day at the outset. Medical treatment by a physician can always mitigate and shorten the duration of a cold and lessen the danger of complications, the symptoms of which can not always be appreciated by the patient. Among the most effective home remedies for a cold are the hot foot-bath, 110-115 degrees F., a hot drink (e.g. hot flaxseed tea), a thorough purge, and rubbing the neck and chest with camphorated oil. The hot foot-bath should usually last 20 minutes, and be taken in a very thorough manner, the body enveloped in a blanket. After taking the bath, the patient should go directly to bed, and not move about and neutralize its good results. A general neutral bath not above 100 or below 95 degrees is very restful to the skin and nerves as they have absolutely nothing to do to cope with temperatures above or below that of the body, since the neutral bath has the same as that of the body. One can remain in such a bath even for hours, if one has the time, but in getting out, it is very important to be in a very warm room and to dress quickly. In fact there is very considerable danger of catching cold at this time if great care is not taken.