Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-03-14
mAKlNa HANDS BEAUTIFUL
Cosmetic Gloves and Thimblea
10 Give shape 20 the Ends
of the Fingers

New York SUM-
In one of the side streets up town is
the Office of a Hand Doctor" The
exterior of the house has no sign or
door plate to attract the notice OF the
general public, but it is evident that
the fashionable world has been in
formed of the doctors whereabouts,
from the number of richly dressed
people who frequent the office. Cu-
riosity induced a reporter to visit this
place last week. The servant who an
swered the door bell showed the Wis
itor into a front parlor where a young
woman stood ready to receive patients
The reporter pulled outan uR@sthetic
looking hand from a pocket, and con-
fessed q desire to have it made a thing
of beauty. She examined 1t critically
and said:
Your hand has been badly neg
lected. and needs treatment. The
skin is bad in color and knuckles look
dark. and the nails are dreadful. 1t
YOU win be seated until the doctor is
through with the patient he is now
treating, he will attend to you"
While waiting, an examination OF
the curiosities Of the Office vas anus
ing. In a case on one si6e Of the room
were wax models of hands of ell shapes
and sizes. Fat hands, thin bony hands,
some with long fingers, some with
short-hands as they should be and
hands as they should not be. Opposite
these a showcase contained an assort-
ment of soaps, salves and lotions and a
lot of gloves, coarse and clumsy, that
seemed strangely out of place in a place
devoted to hand beauty. The young
woman said: "They are cosmetic
gloves. These are only a few Of the
kind we use. The Doctor prepares
others to suit the needs of different
patients. These are prepared to whiten
the hands. They are spread inside
with a preparation OF yolk OF egg, oil
of sweet almonds, and tincture of ben.
zoin. The double lap at the wrist
efectually protects the cuff from being
soiled. The gloves next to them are
to soften the hands, and the lining is
saturated with a mixture of honey,
myrrh, wax and rosewater. The
gloves in the corner are still more
powerful. They contain as strong
agents as can safely be applied to the
hands, and cannot be used when the
skin is chapped, scratched or brokOn
in any place. They are lined with a
preparation of tartaric acid, lemon
Juice, oil Of bitter almond, brown
Windsor soap and some other ingredi-
ents."
Some puffed-out bags, looking like
boxing-gloves, proved to be bran nit
tens, and the attendant explained the
use of a box of curious looking silver
thimbles about two inches long:
These are fnger-tips for shaping
the ends of the fingers. TaperiDg
fingers are not an im~posslbility. Ladies
are willing to undergo inconvenience
and injury for the sake of tapering
waists, but make no effort to improve
the shape Of their hands"
As a lady closely yelled came out
from the back parlor and left the
room, the Doctor announced himself
ready to attend to another patient.
The treatment was begun by securing
the hands with fine white flint sand,
soar and hot water. Then followed a
bran bath, which is merely rubbing
the hands with bran until thoroughly
dry. Stains and dark lines about the
knuekles were then touched with
some acid on a hit Of chamois skin,
and the hands we're anointed with cold
cream and held in warm towels until
dry. This process being completed,
the Doctor requested his patient to
sit before q table near a window, and,
seating himself opposite and opening a
case Of ivory instruments he said:
Are you superstiiious about nail
EpOts?"
mo. What do you mean?7
at is an old belief that white spots
upon the nails bring good fortune,
while black ones are considered IN.
lucky. Both are ugly, however, and
If you have no prejudices, | will re,
move them" and so saying be applied
a black, pitehy substance that smelt o.
sulphur to each spot, and during the
ten minutes he allowed it to remain
there employed himself in pushin.
down, with a dull ivory instrument
the skin growing around the base 0
the nail. When the salve was re
moved from the nails the fingers werl
dipped into a pink wash, and ther
polished with q powder and chamoi
skin brush until each nail shone lkl
a conch she'll.
By this time it seemed as though
scribbler's cramp had seized eacl
finger, and a strong desire was felt u
thrust the aching hands into th.
pockets.
Character is shown by the shape O
the nails" said the Doctor. "WheI
they are long and narrow it is a sign O
d%ullness, and when curved they indi
cate ~rapacity. Short nails impl
goodness. You do not affect that,
see" said he, as he frightened his gri
upon the fingers and commenced film
off the nails at each corner, leavin
} them as sharp and pointed as tn
, thumb nail Of a scribbling dervish.
| The reporter declined any furthe
5 attention, and, paying the Doctor
r dollar, departed with his beautifU
I hands in his nnckefs.