The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-05-31
THE HEALING OF vARICosE ULCER

| In our last discussion of the subject had
 fine time calling everybody ignorant in one de- | gree or another I defined the various degrees | of ignorance and assigned to victims of vari-
 cose ulcer who keep their ulcer more than
 few months to their proper degrees. At that,
 since many bandits nowadays affect odd de. ! grees, wouldn't 1t be a good idea to grant lot
 of people the degrees P. F., D. F. or D. F.?
 I think D. r. would fit many varicose ulcer
 sufferers admirably.
 | We had just applied the paste dressing to
 the patients leg when the bell rang. That was
 not bad predicament to leave him in. But he can't go around with painted leg forever
 so to-day we'll give him further directions
 without extra charge Perhaps we had better
 repeat the complete directions here so that all l'varicose ulcer sufferers may have fair show, | If they wish to try the treatment.
 | Mix together 6 ounces of gelatin, ounces of zinc oxide, 10 ounces of glycerin and 10
 ounces of water Slowly heat and stir the mix ture till smooth rubbery mass is formed. Now carefully wash the ulcer and skin around it with plain soap and warm water Dry this
 gently Then heat the paint or paste just enough to melt 1t to the consistency of thin paint, and apply q coat of the paint with | clean paint brush to the entire leg from the base of the great toe to q point an inch or | two below the bend of the knee, covering the
 ulcer and all. On this apply two inch gauge | bandage spiraly from toe to knee. Then sec. | ond coat of paint on the bandage. Then a
 second bahdage. Then q third coat of paint
 and third bandage. Finally a finishing coat
 of paint over al The dressing should be ap- piled first thing in the morning when the leg
 is least swollen.
 once 1t is applied you forget you have an ! ulcer. At least you forget 1t till the itching | and irritation from the discharge becomes an- moving, and then You cut off the soft cast along | q line opposite the ulcer and remove the old
 dressing. and bathe the ulcer and skin again dry, and apply a second dressing as before l The first should be left undisturbed for from one to three wceks and likewise the second.
 No other treatment Is required while you are
 wearing the paste dressing AS rule two or three such dressings will bring about complete
 healing.
 Ulcer sufferers vested with D. r. must be
 told, gently but firmly that hot paint hurts like
 hot paint if applied to q raw surface, 50 here's an occasion where a little intelligence is need
 ed-better call on some intelligent person to
 see that the paint is heated only enough to render it applicable as point. Then, too, re-
 member you not painting fence post | and the softest brush with the lightest touch
 Gelatin Is virtually purified glue. Therefore | if the, leg happens to be d hairy one 1t is well to smear the skin first with petrolatum so the 1 spnt or cast will not take the hair off when 1t is removed 1 think we told here recently, or if not then we shall soon about the rubber sponge dress- | ing for varicose ulcers. If any of our readers | with the degree of r. r. makes q fizzle of the | paint treatment he might do worse than fall I back on the comparatively simple rubber
 sponge treatment till he can learn more.