Birmingham age-herald., 1895-07-28


 tion in studious despair.
 It is a wondrous thing. the human foot like the human hand; even more SO perhaps; but, unlike the hand with which we are so familiar it is seldom a thing of beauty in civilized adults who go about in leather boots or shoes.
 So that it is hidden away in disgrace, a thing to be thrust out of sight and for gotten. It can sometimes be very ugly, indeed-the ugliest thing there is, even in the fairest and highest and most gift ed of her sex; and then it is an ugliness to chill and kill romance, and scatt ar love young dream and almost break the heart
 And all for the sake of a high heel and ridiculously pointed toe-mean things at the best.
 Nothing else that Mother Nature has to show, not even the human face divine. has more subtle power to suggest high physical distinction, happy evolution and supreme development; the lordship of man over beast, the lordship of man over man, the lordship of woman over all!
 These are certainly not the feet of our grandmothers, for they
 Like little mice stole in and out
 As if they feared the light"
 Caring for the Feet.
 The gods be thanked for common- sense feet al last, and for Du Maurier to make them fashionable.
 For those of us who have suffered a martyrdom for past offenses in improper care of our feet, including the tight, French-heeled boot of torture, word as to the toilet of the feet First and most important of all to preserve them in a thoroughly healthy and comfortable state, thorough cleanliness is, of course, requisite. They should be bathed daily, and two or three times week they should be soaked in warm or tepid water and well scrubbed with brush and soap, so that every particle of dust and precipitation which constantly accumu- lates about them may be removed. The best time for this operation is just before retiring Once week at least the feet should be carefully examined after the soaking above referred to-every parti- cle of loose skin should be removed while they are still soft from the warm water-any callositles or indurations should be rubbed quite smooth with a bit of pumice stone, or better still Ja- panese corn file. The nails should also at least once week be carefully inspect ed. cut so that their length is just the length of the toe. The shape of the nail should follow the curve of the toe. If they are allowed to grow longer they are liable to be forced back by the press ure of the shoe and to grow into the flesh. Be careful also not to cut the nails of the toes too short as in such cases the toes lose their natural support. Cut ting the nail to the quick has actually caused lock jaw and death, an authentic case being on record of lady who died of tetanus or lock jaw nine days after cutting the nail by accident into the quick.
 Trimming and Treating the Nails.
 Nails that have a tendency to grow sidewise should be kept carefully pared. hn int hp may be cured by making a V-shaped cut in the center, the broad part of the V at the top of the nail. Ingrowing nails, despite the protest of many girls who are not yet converted are invaria- bly, produced by pressure. A shoe too narrow across the toe or tread of the foot, or insufficiently long for ease and com fort, though large enough elsewhere, either cramps or distorts the fore part of the foot and toes or arrests the nails in their proper growth forward, forcing them back upon the sensitive flesh at their roots and sides and causing them to grow in width and thickness only.
 The results of tight shoes are not always immediate, but they are sure and very painful. CornS are horny indura- tions with a very sensitive nucleus or base, and appear on the exposed portions of the joints of the toes. They are cer- taiHly caused by an undue and continu- ous pressure, and will usually disappear with large, easy ShoeS-otherwiSe, though frequently taken out they will reappear. To remove them soak the feet for twenty minutes and pare the corns as closely as possible to the surface, taking care, hhowever, never to make them bleed, then use one of the following remedies; they are all effective:
 Cures for Corns.
 Take a lemon, cut off a small piece, then nick it so as to let in the toe with the corn, tie this on at night so that it cannot move and in the morning you will find that with a blunt knife you may re- move considerable portion of the corn. Make two or three applications and great relief will be the result.
 ers Remedy for Corns. :, Thespain occa stoned by corns may be greatly alleviated by the following prep aration: Into an ounce phial put two drachms of muriatic acid and six drachms of rose water. With this mkt ure wet the corns night and morning for three days. Soak the feet evening in warm water without soap. Put one third of the acid into the water and the corn will soon be dissolved.
 Soft corns may be cured by using the following:
 gro Cure Soft Corns.
 Dip piece of linen rag in turpentine and wrap around the toe on which the corn is situated, night and morning, and Tn lew QayS the corn VIII ulSdppear
 Nitric acid, caustic and strong tincture of iodine are also used for removing corns
 Corn plasters may be procured of an apothecary or made at home by cutting a small circular bit of leather or kid with hole the size of the corn cut in the center. Spread the kid with a corn plaster. The French corn-plaster. called verdigris plaster, Is made as follows: French Corn Plaster; verdigris Plaster.'
 Bees wax, four parts; Burgundy pitch, two parts. Melt, add of Venice turpen-