The Washington times., 1922-08-06
By DIR. w. HUTCEdINSO ON
Eminent Physcian Whose Articles Health Are Widely Read
Cooling Lotions Supplt The GFhoned Messy POultceS and Rem
der Danger OF Infection Less-Soap and Water Have Done Much to
Stop the Viatons- Proper Food Keeps the Body i'm Trim to Resist
Attacks of the Criminal RacTn

around the edges of their former
protector.
The best thing. both for the
comfort of the patient and the dis
comfort Of Staphyiococcu Aureus
is to keep the boil and It's en-
virons AZ cool as possible.
CARE SHOULD BE USED. 7
This can best be done by pour
ing some cooling or evaperating
lotion. over the dressings. such az
witch hazel or weak boracic acid
and alcohol, and keeping tho
cloths constantly soaked with Il
all through the Incubation period
as well a. during the healing
period after the boil has been
lanced. ..
In this way pain. general dis
comfort and the risk of further
infection are reduced to the
minimum. sr
While . person with boils Is
moro likely to reinfect himself
than he is to pass 1t on to others,
nevertheless, this latter possibility
Ia OF no small importance, and the
utmost care should be used to pre-
vent contagion; separate towels,
cups. glasses. ETC., should alw
be used by the sufferer. ~.
In fact, it is a good idea to
simply take three or four days of
and devote ones undivided atten-
ton to getting rid of the first boil,
rather than to try and "muddle
along with business affairs.
Otherwise q whole crop may
develop which may take two or
three weeks to get rid Of, while
the victim 10 working at vastly
lowered efficiency throughout the
entire attack. Trt }
A clear skin, like a clear con-
science, is the best possible pro-
tCStioh oBdiHbt CNI.
SOAP A PREVENTIVE.
One reason why boils have be-
come comparatively rarer Of late
years Is because we have become
q land flowing with soap and hot
water, and have laid down a bar
rage Of bath-tubs, which can sweep
away all but the most resolute and
determined bacilli.
II the skin Is kept clean, com.
Portable. and free from chatting
p and scratching, the risk Of sur
face infections of any sort IL re.
duced to the minimum.
For Staphyiococcus Aureus.
like all his family, can only gain
q foothold in. the cracked and
worn places in the body .armor,
where there has already been
chafing and slight irritation.
STRINGS WILL FOLLOW.
This explains his fondness for
appearing first around the back OF
the neck, especially in men. where
the edge Of the collar may be the
Gauge Of the trouble, while the
thick skin Of the region resists his
return to the surface and increases
the size and painfulness Of the
boil.
This. however, In simply until
he gains a good foothold.
When he has acclimated himself
and begins to travel. he win fre.
quently ooze out to the surface
and begin to travel down It. 30
that whole strings Of offshoot bolts
will stream out from below the
parent boil like the tail OF a
comet. ,,
Even more commonly, however,
he gets under finger nails that
have been working at the boil.
and then is likely to drop off at
any other point OF the body which
those fingers touch. 3, ...<
This explains the extraordinary
way in which these secondary"
boils as they are called, will spread,
especially over the face, chest.
and arms. a-
The one and only way to preven,
this Is to place a scientifically
made, properly applied bandage-
not q mushy. homemade pro-
enemy poultice-over the originsi
source of Infection g.,
This will put II absolutely 'in-
communicate" until It can be sum-
marily dealt with once and for all
by lancing. r.., a.
DREADED CARBUNCLE. Ay-
II the bodily resistance is only
trifie below par. an attack of
boils. while intensely uncomfort-
able and disabling. is not especially
serious. 80" = ~
But II the general system IL
greatly enfeebled or the invaders
extremely virulent, the body may
he able to nut up but n feeble re.