The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-05-02
Treatment for Bunions.

Now is the time of year when the
woman who has a bunion or two will
not be allowed to forget the melancholy
fact, unless she takes a few precau-
tions. 1t is no use to try to fight il
out with a bunion. You may as well
yield it its place in the beginning, or it
will make you live to regret that you
did not. Bunions are caused entirely
by improper footgear. A large proper
ton of the shoes made press the toes
all together in a bunch toward the CEN
trail point. instead of allowing them TO
lie straight. The result of this pressure
is that there is a great strain about
the joints, especially of the big toe. the
bones being pushed out of their normal
position, the ligatures and membranes
surrounding the joint are stretched and
irritation is thereby set up. This often
leads to effuSiOn of the watery matter
of the blood through the walls of the
blood vessels into the membrane sur
rounding the joint. This effusiOn gives
the appearance of an enlargement OF
the joint which in some cases is white
externally. except on extra irritation,
as that caused by long walk, when
the foot still further swells and the
Joint becomes very red and infamed.
In order to prevent bunions the first
necessity is that the boots should be
very wide at the toe. allowing all the
toes to lie straight in the natural posi-
ton as regards the other bones of the
foot, and the heel should be low 1t is
quite possible TO have a boot or shoe
which is we'll shaped at the toes, but
has so high a heel as to throw the foot
forward in such a way as to bring
pressure upon the joints, thereby caus-
ing bunions.
1t is most important at the first sign
of bunion to begin treatment, or the
mo l0r-ar hPCnrOd
eased, and lifelong suffering result.
When there is effusion into the joint it
may often be reduced by painting it
with tincture of iodine. and giving the
foot rest in a loose slipper. If there is
any Inflammation, instead of using the
tincture of iodine, an ointment consist
ing of seven parts of iodine mixed with
80 parts of purified lard may be used. If
there is much Inflammation a soothing
poultice made of fiaxseed or slippery
elm may. be applied. and even hot bread
and milk poultice has a very soothing
| effect.
The use of easy slippers when there is
Inflammation is Imperative, very
great mistake being often made by cut
ting a hole in an ordinary shoe Just
large enough to cover the infiamed area.
If this is done the circulation is con-
fined in the remainder of the foot, but
free on the part exposed, and that part
tends TO become engorged with blood,
and swells through the opening, the
\ edges OF which press in an injurious
manner on the diseased part. A piece
of wash leather. with a hole in it large
/ enough for the bunion. may be put
upon the bad place, and covered with
oil silk.
| If a corn should be superposed on top
/ of the bunion, this must be very care
| fully pared off and the surface painted
with sulDhate of copper. A little piece
of the copper should be dipped in water
and rubbed upon the surface. As a
protective lotion to paint over bunions
which are not infiamed the following is
useful:
Borax 80. 49,. 1900. ~ drachm
Extract of cannabis indica.-..1 scruple
Flexile collodion .....-..1 ounce
This is to be painted on once or twice
( a dav.