--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only way to treat the common cold is…" description: "\"The only way to treat the common cold is with contempt.\" — William Osler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/william-osler-2992_cold_the-only-way-to-treat-the-common-cold-is_2285514.png" --- # The only way to treat the common cold is with contempt. ![“The only way to treat the common cold is with contempt.” quote by William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/william-osler-2992_cold_the-only-way-to-treat-the-common-cold-is_2285514.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/william-osler-2992_cold_the-only-way-to-treat-the-common-cold-is_2285514.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/william-osler-2992_cold_the-only-way-to-treat-the-common-cold-is_2285514.png) > “The only way to treat the common cold is with contempt.” [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests treating the common cold with disdain, implying it’s trivial and not worth concern. **In simple terms:** Treat the cold with contempt. Key Takeaway Dismiss minor ailments. Themes health attitude triviality Mood cautionary humorous Type medical philosophical When to use this quote - cold season - workplace illness - travel health - self‑care routines Key Concepts medical skepticism psychosomatic coping mechanisms Questions to Reflect On - Is dismissing minor illnesses wise? - How can attitude affect recovery? A Different Perspective May discourage proper care and spread. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Common cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-cold/) [Contempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contempt/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) ## Related quotes > [“I am sorry for those who have never had the experience of seeing the victory of a national liberation movement, and I feel cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-am-sorry-for-those-who-have-never-had-the-experience-of-seeing-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Happiness in a tablet. This is our world. Prozac. Daxil. Xanax. Billions are spent to advertise such drugs. 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It has cholera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-azenberg/this-is-an-industry-that-doesn-t-have-the-common-cold-it-has-cholera/) Emanuel Azenberg > [“When James Larrick and his colleagues studied the still relatively isolated Waorani Indians of Ecuador, they found no evidence of hypertension, heart disease, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-ryan/when-james-larrick-and-his-colleagues-studied-the-still-relatively/) [Christopher Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-ryan/) ## More by William Osler > [As it can be maintained that all the great advances have come from men under forty, so the history of the world shows that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/as-it-can-be-maintained-that-all-the-great-advances-have-come-from/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [No man is really happy or safe without a hobby ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/no-man-is-really-happy-or-safe-without-a-hobby/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [But whatever you do, take neither yourselves nor your fellow-creatures too seriously. 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They rarely pay their bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/beware-of-people-who-call-you-doc-they-rarely-pay-their-bills/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) [Explore all 143 William Osler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) ## More Cold quotes > [Once ye made up yer mind to do somethin', 'tis better t'stumble o'er the small hillock of jump-ahead than t'bash yer head on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/once-ye-made-up-yer-mind-to-do-somethin-tis-better-t-stumble-o-er-the/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [Of course Messi could handle a cold Tuesday night in Stoke. 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