By Kathleen O'Toole
Penn State Public Broadcasting
Bare feet indoors and a wet head outdoors won't increase the odds of catching a cold this winter, but a game of poker might.
University of Wisconsin researchers have found that poker games provide ideal laboratories for studying the spread of the common cold.
In a series of experiments, volunteers participated in weeklong studies that included daily card games. In each study, eight of 20 volunteers agreed to allow researchers to place drops containing tiny amounts of cold virus into their nostrils. The infected volunteers quickly developed colds and began to cough, sniff, sneeze and blow their noses. As cards and poker chips changed hands, so did the viruses. In each case, almost every volunteer had caught a cold before the week ended.
Significantly, the poker games took place in a windowless room that was kept at a comfortable temperature, so chills and cold drafts couldn't be blamed for spreading the germs.
Despite heroic efforts on the part of volunteers, researchers have never found a link between coldness and colds.
In the late 1940s and 1950s, the Common Cold Research Unit in Salisbury, England paid human subjects to undergo a shiver shock therapy. Doused in icy water, clothed only in bathing suits, or wearing wet socks, some volunteers would be placed in frigid environments for prolonged periods of time. Although miserable and trembling, the volunteers were neither more nor less likely to get a cold than those who stayed warm.
The term "catching a cold" originated in medieval England where the damp, dreary winters seemed to match the moods of those with stuffed noses and scratchy throats. Before the invention of powerful microscopes, it made sense to believe that coldness caused colds. Why else would so many people get sick in the wintertime?
Today, we know that colds begin with viruses that infect the nose, throat and surrounding air passages. Colds do claim more victims in the winter, but not necessarily because the temperature drops. Rather, harsh weather drives people indoors where close contact and stagnant air allow cold germs to spread quickly and linger longer. In addition, central heating systems tend to dry out the mucous membranes of the nose and throat, the body's first line of defense against a viral invasion.
It's still a good idea to "bundle up" in cold weather, if only because the body must work harder to keep warm when it isn't properly clothed. But medical experts offer some more useful tips for preventing the common cold: wash your hands frequently; keep your fingers away from your nose, eyes and mouth; eat a well-balanced diet; stay hydrated with plenty of water and other nutritious fluids; when weather permits open a window to circulate fresh air, and avoid contact with people who have cold symptoms.
As for poker players, those who don't take preventive measures might be dealt a round of "Texas Cold 'Em."
This week, "What's in the News" takes a look at the spread of the flu and updates other top stories from the past year.
###
"What's in the News," a current events program for 4th through 7th grade Social Studies classes, airs at noon and 5 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. Sundays on WPSX-TV (check local listings for air times in your area). Kathleen O'Toole writes and co-hosts the series, which is produced by WPSX-TV/Penn State Public Broadcasting in cooperation with Penn State's College of Education. The series is endorsed by the National Council for the Social Studies. For more information, visit http://www.witn.psu.edu