The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-05-01
CRIPPLED BY HUMP
 BACKED TOE

SAyAA
 BACKED TOE
 Since Q child of twelve, writes 8 woman of twenty-six, I have had trouble with my feet, called ham, mer toe. At times my feet pain me dreadfully. Recently have learned that they sometimes operate for such Q condition, but operation rarely proves satisfactory and is very ex- pensive. Naturally, if have 2 chance, would like to have 1t done while still young and in good health.
 The deformity known as hammer toe usually affects the second toe and. is caused by wearing shoes that are too small, either too short or too narrow or both. The toe be- comes hexed at the first inter- phalangeG joint 50 that this joint stands up prominently above the plane of the other toes, and the summit develops Q painful corn from pressure and friction of the joint against the shoe leather.
 Sometimes the difnculty may be corrected by discarding the funny shoes and wearing shoes built to fit the feet when shoes must be worn. Of course the ideal prevention or treatment would be to go barefoot. In addition to that, the application of adhesive plaster strips to the affected toe and the toes on either side of 1t, such Q manner as to straighten out the toe and retain 1t in as nearly It's correct position as may be comfortable, will com- plete the cure. Of course this takes time, months, and the adhesive strips must be carefully removed and reapplied twice Q week.
 In cases where the deformity is of longer standing and the fiexion more rigid, 1t is necessary to divide the contracted soft tissues under the toe through 6 punctuure wound (sub- cutaneous tenotomy) and to straighten the toe and retain 1t in proper position with suitable splint for about two weeks. This operation may be done painlessly (under local anesthesia) and blood iessly, and need not interrupt the patients ordinary activities. c
 In long neglected cases of haln- mer toe it may be necessary to re- sect or remove part of the affected joint and then 'to retain the toe in a straight position until ankylosis or bony union takes place. This is Q more formidable operation and re- uuires general anesthesia and two weeks or mote in hospital. Tn all respects 1t is comparable with the operation usually done for the rad- ical cure of long neglected bunion.
 Tn the old days there may have been some little excuse for wearing freak shoes. There is no good ex- cuse for doing so to-day, because all shoe manufacturers who hope to get a fair share of business offer footwear that does not entail pun- ishment for the feet. If you don't know how to select such footwear, send Q stamped envelope bearing your address, and ask for moi1o- graph on Care of the Feet.
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
 Dope
 Husband suffers frequently from head colds, and always resorts to (nostrum containing acetanilide). Is this medicine injurious to the blood? He is very thin and has poor blood. (Mrs. c. O.
 Answer-Yes. The effect of such dope in any case is comparable with tapping yourself on the head with Q maliet. You don't feel the ache, worry, fatigue, anxiety or depression SO much for a while. The acetan- Hide in the dope not only bcnumbs sensation but destroys red corpus cles, interferes with the oxygen carrying function of the blood, weakens the heart and impairs any natural residence or recuperative power the victim may still have. Ale though the nostrum has a name suggesting other and less harmful drugs, 1t is chiefly the acetanilide in 1t that produces the effects, and the Food and Drugs Bureau of the trick U. s. government knows that perfectly well, yet permits the dan gerous dope to be sold indiscrim- inately and under fraudulent claims of "harmlessness. The government boys have to live, I suppose. To any one who may be in the habit of using such quick "cold cures" (many of them available, all having acetanilide or phenacetin as the kick-otherwis called phenylaceta-