Manual of British Rural Sports by Stonehenge 17th Edition

TREATMENT OF BUNIONS, BOILS, dec. 651 surfaceand re-apply the caustic, again using the carded cotton. This second iipplication will probably last a fort­ night, but by that time the edges of the blackened cuticle become loose, and the application should be repeated ; but ^ot,in all probability, till three weeks have elapsed. In this way, by three or four applications, the most obstinate and painful soft corns yield to treatment, and become permanently cured ; but the skin between the toes should be kept • constantly washed and rubbed with a soft towel, so as to remove every par­ ticle of secretion daily. With hard corns, nothing will effect a cure unless the pressure which has causedthem is discontinued. In that case they require very little treatment; but if it is continued—as it must be when they occur on the sole of the foot —the only remedies are palliative, and require constant and careful repeti­ tion. Corn-cutters areconstantly hold­ ing out certain hopes of a cure ; but this is a fraud upon the unwary, and only leads to the picking of their pockets. It is quitetrue that a skilful corn -cutter will remove, without pain, every vestige ofa corn, and will give instant and entire relief ; but this only lasts for a fortnight or three weeks, the time varying according to the ra­ pidity of growth in each particular case. Any one, however, who has the use of his hands may readily treat his own corns, if he will attend to the follow­ ing directions :—Inthe first place, the cuticle should never be allowed to grow to such a degree as to occasion pain ; it should be carefully removed before that time, and the best instrument for its removal is a pair of nail-scissors ;with these a small piece of the thickened cuticle should be caught hold of and raised from its hed at the same time, then gradually closing the blades, it is removed without any great pain ; for if much is given, it is only necessary to raise the scissors still more, and, as it were, drag the corn out of its bed, when the pain ceases, and the excision of that portion is effected. After removing this small slice, another adjoining slice is to be taken bold of and removed in the same way, till all vestige of the hardened cuticle is gone ; after which the part may either be covered with apiece of wash-leather spread with soap-plaster, or left to its late. The former is of course the better plan ; but, if the corn is removed as often and as fast as it grows, there re no necessity for adopting it. On the sole of the foot the scissors cannot be used, and this is the most unmanageable situation byfar. It is almost impossi­ ble for the sufferer to cut these himself, either with a knife or scissors; and he should remove them either, when dry, with a piece of coarse sand-paper fixed on a rounded surface, or, when soaked, with a piece of pumicestone. This treatment will suffice for corns which are troublesome while training ; but when restcan be given they should be removed either with caustic, as de- scribedfor thesoft corn, or with tincture of iodine applied with a paint-brush. In either case the cuticle should be first pared down, and then one or other of the above remedies should be applied ; but the inflammation, especially after the second application, is considerable, and rest mnst generally be given. Both are therefore inadmissiblein training. Bunions should have two or three leeches applied to them every other day for a week, after which the bunions may be leftalone till thebites are well, and then they should be brushed with tincture of iodine every third day. This treatment will generally suffice, but not in very obstinate cases. Such cases, however, are seldom adapted for training, andtherefore are not within my province. BOILS .—These are an effortof nature to get ridof a dead pieceof cellular mem­ brane by means of inflammatory action. In consequence of some peculiar con­ dition of the blood, of the exact nature of which little is known, a death (or feloughing, as it is called) of a por­ tion of cellular membrane takes place close under the true skin; to remove this foreign bodynature sets up an inflam­ mation, which is invariably of a slow and congestive character. It appears as if the poisonous nature of the slough irritates the, surrounding parts to such a degree as in some measure to interfere with the process of absorption, and, consequently, a painful and hardened circle of swelled and reddened skin is formed around the dead cell. In most cases the thickening is so great as to stop the circulation in the interior of the circle and the boil remains station­ ary for along time. The only remedy for this condition is either the appli­ cation of some stimulating greasy