Evening star., 1895-04-27
CARE OF THE NAILS,

HoRATIo KING.
CARE OF THE NAILS.
some Suggestions About This Feature
of the Personal Appearance.
From the Jenness Miller Monthly
Neatly-kept finger nails are an evidence
OF innate refinement, just as well-dressed
hair is. or the properly kept person. I
nave always made sure that I could tell
man who bathes regularly or who does
not by the most casual scrutiny, and II
this phase of our physical exterior is so
plain to the observer, what must be the
effect produced by the sight of irregular,
broken, dirty. or, what is even worse, sore
looking nails? I cannot reconcile such a
disagreeable condition with any precon-
ceived ideas of men and women of refine
ment. 1 believe that where true personal
neatness or even cleanliness exists the nails
Will receive fair share of attention. The
trouble with many persons is that they
neglect the care of both finger and toe
nails until the latter become sore and the
FORMER so unsightly that their possessors
are ashamed to appear anywhere without
gloves. Now, If one only makes the care
OF the nails on both feet and hands a re-
thgious duty. he may keep them in the
best of order by using only a few additional
moments at his toilet every day. When
the habit Is once acquired, 1t is like the
path habit; you would not relinqufsh it's
results for anything, and you will soon find
1t no trouble to make time enough for the
performance Of this small but necessary
task.
1t must be remembered in this connec-
tlon that soreness occasioned by torn and
neglected finger and toe nails often pro-
duces Illness, and sometimes disease. The
relation between the nerves is so very inti-
mate In all parts of our bodies that when
a prf 10 L
sequence. We are equipped with no more
delicate or sensitive organ than the nails.
1t is evident, then, that they require care
and protection for purposes of both health
and beauty.
Like Tinted Shell.
After washing and thoroughly drying the
hands, the flesh around the root of the nails
should always be pressed back gently but
firmly. Neglect of this duty for a single
week will often cause an unsightly growth
of rough and ragged skin which it will
be difficult to remove without bruising the
nail and destroying that delicate edge from
which the well-kept nail with its white
half-moon shows forth by. contrast like a
tinted shell. Most persons when wiping
the hands pull the skin forward onto the
nails. whereas it ought to be pushed back.
thus preserving the regularity of the shape
about the base of the nail. When the skin
becomes attached to the rail all symmetry
is destroyed, and the treatment that must
be given with instruments to dsengage
1t must be undertaken with great care.
Every woman at least, should learn to
manicure her own nails, as it is not always
possible to secure the services of a pro-
fessonai artist. The only Indispensable
instruments are file, delcately-curved
scissors. and small knife. Nail powders
and polishers may be used If desired, but
the BEAUTIFULLY and neatly cared-for nail
VIII soon develop an enviable pinkness and
beauty of it's own.
The hands should first be soaked in a bowl
OF soapy soft water, the temperature being
little above tepid in order to soften the
nails and loosen the clinging skin about
the base.
When the hands are we'll soaked dry
them thoroughly and insert a knife or sim
liar instrument carefully and slowly be-
tween the skin and the nail in order to
separate them. If the skin is torn it be-
comes infiamed, and takes long time to
heal. Great care should also be taken not
to bruise the nails, as such marks can only
be overcome by a new growth. If the in
strument Is used with care and skill only
good results will ensue. but nails that have
been neglected long time will have to be
treated in this manner ten or fifteen min
utes every day for several weeks before
they begin to assume beauty and SYM
metry.
Twice n Week.
The nail should be pared and filed to
curve from side TO side, and should never
be allowed to extend but slightly beyond
the tip of the finger-such an extension
being necessary for the protection of that
member. When once the nails are in good
condition twice week is often enough for
the pairing and filing of the tips, and five
minutes day will keep them in fine con-
dtion.
Some persons are much troubled with
white spots which sometimes appear on
the nails, making them look unclean and
untidy. Sucn spots can be removed by a
paste made of refined pitch and myrrh
mixed together, put on at night, and rub
bed off in the morning with cream or olive
oil
For the most part the same care may be
used with the toe nails with good results.
The principal lack in the care of the toe
l.ails is the pitiable one of too infrequent
bathing of the feet. In this way the nails
become hard, and generally bad conditions
follow. If one would have perfect toe nails
he must battle his feet in tepid soapy wa
ter twice day. morning and evening, and
observe the same precautions in wiping,
finger nails. If the nails show tendency
to growing in, their corners should be
carefully lifted from day to day, and every
vestge of skin or other foreign matter
gently but thoroughly removed. The old
fashioned remedy of pouring hot mutton
tallow into the corners of such nails and
firmly wedging in a bit of cotton at the
same time, is a good one. The main point
to be observed with in-growing nails is to
soak and treat them almost daily. If this
is done from the time they first make their
appearance, much misery will be avoided
and in some cases they have even been
known to disappear.