Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-01-18
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THE FOLLOWING
COMMUNICATION
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On. NJ. scHLossER.
Author Of several Works on Diseases Of the Feet.
NEGLECT OF THE FEET.
DANGER OF CUTTING CoRNs.


Corns are too commonly regarded a. mere ex-
orescenses, and that little 10 necessary but 20
cut of the external surface; whereas, tbs
eradication of them, and that in Q manner not to
injure the flesh, 10 operation OF great care and
deosov, that oar only without danger be performed
By one who has made that branch OF surgery the
special object Of attention.
The extraction of teeth, and the cure Of diseases
in them, or in the gums. were, few years ago
sidered as legitnatsly within the province Of any
one who was dubbed Q surgeon, till experience
taught that that branch OF the healing art REQ uired
special application and study. Few, now, who
have the means. think Of employing snr but reg
ular dentist to attend TO diseases affecting the
teeth.
so intimate are the relations of oil parts Of the
human frame with each other, that dls.ess IN any
particular psrtion, affects the vho4 system; nor
does distance from what may be called the center
Of the system. diminish the intimacy Of the rels
ton; on the contrary, pains disease Of the
tremities are perhaps more difficult Of ALIENATION
than In more central parts.
At the present day We find large portion Of the
community, from the hi hest to the lowest subject
to severe sufe;ings from lnattention Of surgeons
to the Affections to which the feet subject
They have generally been considered OF so trivia
nature rs to be unworthy of serious inc uiry, and
have consequently been consigned to . class Of men
whose supreme ignoIa noe has thrown ohliquy uron
those who have both the wish and the power TO
alleviate pain and prolong life
There is no part Of the human foot in which
have not occasionally been found; both the most
delicate and most harde ned portions of its integu-
ments have thus been tffeote1. The FIRST idsa
which naturally presents itself 10 those who are
suffering from any md Of pain 10 instantaneous
| relef," and many are mostly willing TO allow the
ions ct origo n1ali' to remain and gain 10 baooms
the fruitful ofspring OF pain rather than to apply
| to skillful operator, even though he oan psrma
nsutly eradicate the dangerous nuisance. On the
other hand the confidence Of the public il 90 much
abused by GLASS of self educated and sslf-extol-
ing practitioner, who pretend to have discovered
| infallIble means to prevent diseases such We
| have described. that Innamersble dIficuties sur
| round the subject.
Specifies for all the ills Of life are discovered
daily and hourly, especially in the department to
| which have devoted my time aud attention. Plas-
| tiers, lotions, 80, TO-, are brought before the
astonished world IS possessing powers infsllible.
According to their own assertions they have never
been known to fail; and what chance mas he who
has devoted his whole life to Inc uiry, but to hon.
esty confess that the deviatons Of nature surpass
his expectations; that her ways are often insoru-
table, and all that he do lie to study, to learn
and to try to cure, without protesting that every
malsdy is subject to his superior skill.
Most urgently do l recommend those who are ar
flicted with Corns, however harmless they may ap
pear, however easily removed, never to have re
course to the knife. The most Appalling spssms
attended on the .ounding branch of . nerve by q
common pen knife, a. also hemorrhage, scarcely
to he arrested. am not fond of siving GASES. for
am sorry TO find that every empirio who practices
any branch Of the medical profession, fancies that
the true avenue to employment 10 to rsrrste extra
ordinary cases, whether true not, because he
fanciee that people will something in what they
read which may remind them of their own suffer-
ing. l would refer TO vast numbers Of examples,
which have encountered in this city, il thought
it necessary to mentiouIt.
strenuously recommend those who suffer from
CONS, to have recourse to the knif,. to the
razor, even to the scissors, but 70 place them
selves, as coon possible, under the mansx ement
of eOme who has long been skilled In their cure
Sufferers from Corns will find temporary relief
from punging the foot in q hot pedulsrium, rour-
Ing in, from time to time, hot water. The diseased
part should be sssiduously rubbed with a dry,
rough towel. In the greater number of instances
this process will be followed BY the loosenlne of
the callous substance; there will be neither pain
nor uneasiness left, although the corn will remain
still reiefis obtained, without the danger which
cutting may produce. 1t is impossible to be com-
pletely rid of Corn, unless extirpa'ed By skill
ful and experienced operator. III sPpsar some
what tedious In this matter, ifI have been guilty
OF repetltions trust that may be excused for an
oarRestness and anxiety on q so beet which I
conceive of more Importance, almost, than auy
rules / could lay down. IL is q maxim would
have startling taught to repeat-it Is sentence
which should be repeated in the ear of every uder
or from corns-Itis q voice which should be echoed
back on every ecoasion-"do not ure q knife.u IT.
after such warning, t here should he any sufhci
enty yenturesome TO neglect itrhe danger on IN, lr
own head, but the repentance will come too late
DR.. M. A. sCHLOsSER