Let's Have Fewer Colds (1950)

you feel so good when you come in after pipe yes these boys and girls are healthy and just wants them to stay that way but right now she's noticing how many empty places there are do you know why because of coals yes some of the boys and girls are missing school they have to stay home with coals billy doesn't have a cold though and he doesn't want one let's pretend we can see right inside bed we'll see a drawing of a healthy nose and a healthy mouth this part of your head and a healthy throat let's take a closer look the mucous membrane is the thin tender lining all over the inside of the nose and mouth and throat the fluid called mucus flows from the mucous membrane when you are well just enough mucus flows to help keep your nose and throat clean that's the way billy's nose and throat are because he is well billy's friend dick is absent today dick isn't having much fun because he's at home in bed he doesn't feel very well he has a headache and he didn't feel like eating breakfast his nose is running so much he has to keep blowing it when dick blows he blows the right way very gently and he holds the tissue loosely he never squeezes his nose well dick's mother knows how to take care of him mother isn't certain it's only a cold since this is the first day dick has felt this way some other diseases such as measles and scarlet fever start out pretty much like coals so mother will watch dick's temperature and if he has a fever for more than a day or two she'll call the doctor she keeps dick warmly covered in bed but not too warm dick puts his used paper handkerchiefs in a bag so his mother can burn them because they may have cold germs on them what about medicine for dick to take well he has none and he won't use any unless his doctor tells him to dick will get well best if he stays here in bed resting that's the important thing to do for a cold oh this isn't much fun that running nose again what's going on inside dick's nose and throat well somehow cold germs or virus too small to see got a start in here and made his throat red and sore the inside of his nose felt dry and itchy have you ever felt like that well when you have a cold the mucous membrane swells up to help fight the cold germs and the mucus flows much more than usual acting like a wall the mucus and swelling nearly block dick's nose so of course he can't breathe very well and when he sneezes imagine what would happen at school those tiny drops of mucus could carry cold germs around the room so dick seed is empty because he stayed home just as we all should do if we have a cold so we can keep the air in our classrooms clean and that's why miss ellis watches the boys and girls so carefully look here mary sniffling well at least when she sneezes she covers her nose but she might be starting a cold so mary must go see the school nurse and perhaps go home if she does have a cold she should not be here spraying cold germs into the air she'll take care of her cold right away miss ellis and her class know it isn't any fun to have colds so they will talk about some things to do to help prevent colds first stay away from coals just what does that mean well we stay home when we have a cold we try to keep colds out of the air but there are other things to do to stay away from colds you've seen boys wrestling like this but if you wrestle with a boy who has a cold you could get cold germs from him very easily maybe you used to trade bites but there could easily be cold germs on food someone else has been eating when someone with a cold handles his books or his pencils cold germs could easily get on them and you might pick up some of the germs from those books those are some of the things we all can do to stay away from colds next avoid chilling what happens when you are chilled well suppose you go outside with clothes that aren't warm enough what happens inside your nose and throat when you are chilled not as much mucus flows spots of the mucous membrane are left dry then cold germs can more easily get a start and that's what sometimes happens when you are chilled but did you know that you can be chilled by getting too hot oh jack doesn't want to get too hot when you're very warm your body is wet with perspiration and it's very easy to cool off too fast and so be chilled billy thinks of some other things you should do to avoid chilling when you come home from school every day check over your clothes to be sure they are dry cap and jacket all right on the inside but billy's mittens they're soaked now wet clothing can chill you fairly so billy will put on a dry pair of mittens before going out again now outside for some fun it's a good idea to play outside but be sure to dress warmly and keep your feet dry so you won't be chilled and later the fun turns into a snow battle oh oh billy got it in the neck well it's getting close to supper time and he'll go into the house now to dry out before he gets chilled as soon as he comes inside billy takes off all his wet clothes at home and at school billy takes care to avoid chilling now what else should we do billy would like to explain the third poster he made it to show some good health habits one is exercise he gets good outdoor exercise to help keep his body strong another good health habit is eating the right foods meat and potatoes and vegetables are important for health mmm and they taste good too and look over here tomato juice milk fresh salads with lettuce fruit eating the right kinds of food is a good health habit and of course billy always washes his hands with soap and water before he eats billy has another good health habit he gets lots of sleep and rest exercise good food sleep those are good health habits and now let's remember some of the things we've learned about having fewer colds when you have a cold take care of it rest in bed keep warm but not too warm and stay away from other people and these are some of the things to do to help prevent colds stay away from colds avoid chilling warm clothes for outdoors but take off your wraps indoors and practice good health habits exercise good food