The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-02
WOMEN'S RED NOSES.

LFrom Philadelphia Medical Examiner
Few things are more annoying to a
sensitive woman than persistent red
ness of the tip of the nose. This cry
thrOrhinia, as we may call it, is part1cu-
larly frequent among women with a
delicate complexion, and is not often
seen among the peasantry. a Berlin
physician, DR.. Rosenbach believes that
he has fathomed the cause of the con-
ditiOn and is convinced that the veil iS
responsible. He found that the rednesS
was most marked where the veil press
ed most closely against the nose, and
that when the wearing of the veil was
abandoned the condition, in a majority
of instances, disappeared. Although
wells are very soft to the touch, the
threads soon become rough with use,
and are then capable of exerting a. de-
cided irritation upon the sensitive skin
of the nose and cheek, against which
the veil rubs. The evaporation from the
nose is apt to moisten the veil, eSpec-
tally in winter, and then the veil acts
almost like a moist compress The shape
Of the nose is also slightly altered by
the veil. The nose is depressed, fiat
tened, and, in Rosenbach's opinion, tends
to lose its graceful form. With time
this alteration becomes permanent. The
pressure upon the tip of the nose rem
ders the latter somewhat anemic and
drives the blood to neighbOring parts
chiefly to the regions just above the
point and along the lateral wings. On
entering a warm room the abnormal
distribution the blood becomes inten-
sified unless the veil is quickly remov-
ed. When the vessels have become per-
manently relaxed, owing to the imprO-
per dilation, the abnormal distribution
of the blood remains to a greater or less
degree even after the removal of the
veil.
The causes for this condition, then,
are the pressure of the veil and the
friction produced by it. A delicate skin
and catarrhal state of the nose act
as predisposing causes. It is unfortun-
ate that the persons most liable to this
veil-erythema are very apt to ascribe
it to the influence of the air, and seek
to prevent it by tying the veil as tightly
as possible. But the more the nose is
barricaded the more the skin will be ir-
ritated. Occasionally, a similar persis-
tent redness is seen on the cheeks, here,
also, in areas against which the veil
rests. That pressure by the veil is the
cause is proved by the fact that the
redness often ends below in a sharp,
well-dehned margin, corresponding to
the line where the veil begins to hang
/ loosely from the cheek.
The treatment consists primarily in
the disuse of the veil. For a little while
| the patient should not expose herself
/ to sharp winds or great degrees of cold.
/ If this is impossible, she should take
! care not to pass from the cold directly
| into warm room. 1t is also well in
/ going out to cover the nose with a little
lanolin, vasoline or cold cream, and
then to powder it with talcum powder
or starch a little massage-soft strok-
ing with two fingers from the point to
the root of the nOse-is also advisable.
If veil must be worn during skating or
| riding the b -ycle, it should be only
half size. so as to leave the nostrils
uncovered in order that the moisture
may evaDorate unhindered It is, OF
course, best to avoid the use of the veil
| altogether.
We have called attention to this mat
ter because, in the first place, Rosen-
bach's view can be easily verified by OBJ
servation and guarded questioning and
also because if there is any truth in it
and it seems reasonable-women will
probably welcome a suggestion that will
restore to their noses the natural hue