The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-03-28
Warts Can't
Be Cured Bv
HOcuS-POcuS
By DIR. L. K. HIRsHBERG.

To write OF honest remedies for
warts in competition with
omens, spells. hocus-pocus,
soothsayings, left hind feet Of
graveyard rabbits, charms and the
other absurdities Of popular prejudice
and superstition is an undertaking al
most equal TO Lucian's task OF washing
an Ethiopian white.
There are warts and warts. One kind
hangs from the skin like a pear from
a tree, and other grows like a sponge.
The common or garden variety OF
wart, frequently present on the hands.
Is called "verruca vulgaris" 1t Is gen
eral and more or less contagious. This
type of wart, in rare instances, spreads
to other portions of the skin. 1t 10 a
medium or small growth with a smooth
surface, which soon becomes roughen-
ed with its many papillae or points.
Tho exposed parts of common warts are
like blunt, short. coarse oristles. Even
| little assures occur In them.
Al first the color OF n wart 10 that OF
the skin. After q time, however. changes
occur In the horny surface, from dust
dirt. wear and tear. and the wart pc
comes brownish. Warts occur particu-
| larly In grimy-fngered persons who do
not wash often or thoroughly enough.
| Clustered warts are more frequent In
girls end boys. Warts are prone 70 be
|
though clusters may develop later and
remain many years.
Trades Encourage Warts.
| Warts have a tendency to occur on
the forefinger and thumbs Of those WIN
milk tuberculous cows. butcher tubercu-
lots meats, or cut, design and tailor
sweatshop clothing, yet many such
warts have not been found to contain
tubercle baccilli. Some warts. however,
| such as occur on the bands of some
farmers. slaughter-house employees, I'M
| dertakers and post-mortem physicians
are definitely tuberculous. but nono of
J them ever has been blamed for TIE ex-
tension OF tuberculosis to the human
lungs. Warts dc not idvc rise 20 symp-
| toms other than soreness OF pressure
from a pencil. rem or neighborhood IN
| reference.
The flat wart. "verruca plana,' COM
mon In advanced age, only occasionally
is present upon the forehead. face and
backs OF young Peoples hands. Often
smooth, fiat. even square or rectanEu-
lar in outline. these plane surface
warts also may be dark in color and
associated with senile changes OF the
, epidermis. They seldom itch intensely,
but must be watched in aged persons to
Warts Nbici. make their unwelcome
presence Upon the scalp are OF two
kinds-the digital wart with ragged
surface and overgrown napilae and the
"uTI. ne ~ ulSlln-
guished from tho former by itching. At
times n crust covers the latter type
Both kinds are easily scraped from tho
. tough rcalr. A little caUstic stops the
bleeding points that remain.
Methods of Cure.
There Is another kind OF wart called
the "verruca acuminata." It n a mass
OF caulinower clusters Of soft. moist
excrescences. which seldom occur. and
then only on the skin OF the groins,
armpits, lips and nostrils. or a pink!sh.
flesh colored tint. the tufted chrysan-
themum appearance makes this kind Of
! wart resemble caulihower. 1t is
Usually soggy and bathed In perspira-
wart Is very contagious and grows with
All unrestrained luNuriance suggestive
: OF tropical vegetation
The ''verruca acuminata," like most
warts. Is due to ntagious. disease-pro-
ducing bacteria. Minute biscuit-shap ped
germs are found associated with these
warts. which strong antiseptics and sur
gical removal quickly cure. While all
but cancerous and tuberculous warts
. arc as yet OF improved origin. the very
fact that these varieties have been
definitely traced to virus or germ.
would seem to indicate that almost all
z kinds of warts are parasitic.
Il Salicylic acid in the form OF plaster.
or in collodion. one dram to the ounce.
! uproots many warts, as well as corns.
When this fails. acid nitrate OF mer-
rections. Strong vinegar helps to soften
warts so that they can be removed
easily by lunar caustic. Scissors and
! lancets. thoroughly sterilized. are two
quick methods or removing warts. but
: are preferred by some surgeons.
2 (copyt. 1916 Newspaper Feature syndicate)