§ 1. Importance of minor ailments - Minor ailments are far more common than most persons realize. They are chiefly functional disorders, such as of the stomach, heart, nerves, liver, kidney, etc. These deserve more attention than they have hitherto received, because they are the gateway to more serious troubles. For instance, those who neglect colds, or what seem to be colds, will be far more likely to become victims of tuberculosis or pneumonia. No statistics of the prevalence of minor ailments exist. Physicians, whose experience gives them good opportunity to judge, place the time lost annually for each person from minor ailments at three or more days a year.

§ 2. Preventability of minor ailments - Practically all minor ailments can be avoided by proper hygiene, public and private. Neurasthenia, so common in America, is one of the most serious and insidious introductions to grave disorders, and is usually due to needless worry or failure to have adequate recreation.