The Dittrick Museum of Medical History is located in Northeast Ohio -- an area (in)famous for its harsh, long winters. After last year’s “Polar Vortex,” we dug into our collections to discover how 19th century physicians would advise to protect ourselves from the dangers of falling temperatures.
A little text entitled Taking Cold: The Cause of Half Our Diseases (1873) by Dr. John Hayward outlines ways to maintain warmth and health. To the author, "Taking Cold" referred to being exposed to cold air, while catching "A Cold" was one of the many diseases this exposure could cause. In fact, the following preventative methods were vitally...