these autotoxins, and they are as likely
to form on one diet as another. In fact, they form normally and in
states of perfect health, and are poisonous only if retained too long.
It is simply a question of burning them up, and getting rid of them
quickly enough, by exercise, with its attendant deep breathing and
perspiration. The lungs are great garbage-burners. Exercise every day
till you puff and sweat.

A blast of cold air suddenly stops the escape of these poisons through
the skin and throws them on the lungs, liver, or kidneys. The resulting
disturbance is the second commonest form of a "cold," and covers perhaps
a third of all cases occurring. This is the cold that can be prevented
by the cold bath. Keep the skin hardened and toned up to such a pitch
that no reasonable chill will stop it from excreting, and you are safe.
Never depend on clothing. The more you pile on, the more you choke and
"flabbify" the skin and make it ready to "strike" on the first breath of
cold air. Too heavy flannels are cold-breeders, and chest-protectors
inventions of the evil one. Trust the skin; it is one of the most
important and toughest organs in the body, if only given half a chance.

But the most frequent way in which drafts precipitate a cold is by
temporarily lowering the vital resistance. This gives the swarms of
germs present almost constantly in our noses, throats, stomachs, bowels,
etc., the chance they have been looking for--to break through the cell
barrier and run riot in the body.

So long as the pavement-cells of our mucous membranes are healthy, they
can keep them out indefinitely. Lower their tone by cold, fatigue,
underfeeding, and their line is pierced in a dozen places at once. One
of the many horrifying things which bacteriology has revealed is that
our bodies are simply alive with germs, even in perfect health. One
enthusiastic dentist has discovered and described no less than
_thirty-three_ distinct species, each one numbering its billions, which
inhabit our gums and teeth. Our noses, our stomachs, our
intestines,--each boasts a similar population. Most of them do no harm
at all; indeed, some probably assist in the processes of digestion;
others are camp-followers, living on our leavings; others, captive
enemies which have been clubbed into peaceful behavior by our leucocyte
and anti-body police.

For instance, not a few healthy noses and throats contain the bacillus
of diphtheria and the diplococcus of pneum