The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-01-12
ABOUT CHILBLAINS.
Remedies for Them Are Not Numer-
Ous-Treatment That May Pre-
vent Them.

When winter brings a crop of chill
blains on the feet, and perhaps on the
hands also, it cannot be called an enjoy
able season. The susceptibility to these
pests varies in individuals. After they
have once made their appearance they
are likely to come again in the same
place where they have been before.
With many people the beginning of
cold weather is accompanied by the
first throbs of pain in the spot where
there has been chilblain in preceding
winters. Then the afflicted place
swells and becomes infiamed until a
shoe is hardly to be endured. If moth
ing is done to check their progress, chill
blains sometimes come to a head and
break open like a boil In fact, the
German name, frost boil" accurately
describes the nature of the disease In
Germany, owing in part probably to the
nature of the climate. which makes
the cold peculiarly penetrating and
singing, and in part to houses being 50
poorly warmed that the inmates con-
stantly have cold hands and feet, this
"ihNAtiOh SCNilo iluNh llOIC COululOI
and more severe than here American
students in Germany and Paris fire.
quently suffer greatly from this an
noyance. Music students sometimes
have their hands so covered with chill
blains that it is difficult for them to
practice.
Chilblains are a blood disease. The
cold acts on some people as a blood poi
son, and these troublesome boils result.
The remedy is not to be found in out
ward applications only, although those
may give relief, but something must be
done to restore the blood to a healthy
condition. Tablets composed of one
fourth of grain of calcium sulphide is
recommended by a physician as blood
purifier. One of these is to be taken
three times day for three or four DAYS,
when the chilblains first start. No
medicine can work a permanent cure,
because whenever the hands and feet
become thoroughly cold the diseased
condition of the blood will return. The
remedy should be kept at hand and re-
peated as many times during the win
ter as any signs of the chilblains APP
pear. Sulphur is also sometimes giver
where the chlblains are of long stand
ing. The same remedy is also used
where there is a constitutional tend
ency to corns.
As an outward application for chill
blains various plasters and washes are
recommended. A cloth smeared with
vaseline bound on the foot at night will
take out the Inflammation and sore
ness. Both arnica lotion and alum
water rubbed in several times day are
good remedies. These are especially
useful when chilbains are on the hands.
where plasters would be announcement.
There is little hope of getting rid of
chilblains after their coming is once
established as habit, unless great care
is taken to avoid their cause. That lies
in violent changes of temperature as
much as in exposure to cold. The feet
and hands should be carefully protect
ed from the cold, and if chilled they
should not be held near a hot fire. The
hands should not be put into very hot
or cold water, and after washing it is
well to rub both hands and feet with A
little camphorated OIL. \ dry condi-
ton of the skin is usually found with
chilblains, which is counteracted by
the oil and camphor will often drive
away chilblains when just starting.
BY taking the proper precautions
against mourning chilblains and using
remedies promptly when they appear
they may be so subdued as to give lit
tie trouble. But their victim need have
no hope of securing immunity from
them in cold weather except at the
price of eternal vigilance. - Chicago
Times-Herald