The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-02-25

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scaling Of nails and the general
shaggy appearance which they oc-
casionally take on is either due to
ringworm infection of the nail bed
or to a pus infection by staphy-
.ococcus germs of the nail bed.
These infections produce a very
unsightly appearance in the nails,
but they can be corrected with
considerable certainty by the use
Of the ordinary methods that are
used for ringworm infection and
pus infection elsewhere.
The use of Whitfield's ointment
or some other preparation which
kills off ringworm is indicated
first. If this isn't completely sue
cessful, exposure to the x-ray
should he maze. Exposure TO the
x-ray also works in the case Of pus
infection, and antiseptic oint-
ments and opening up the skin
over the base Of the nail bed to lie,
out pus cures these conditions.
Ridges on Nails
Ridges on the nails trouble a
great many people. In most cases
they do not mean anything. A
transverse ridge from side to side
on all the nails of the fingers
means that at one period in nail
growth there was bad nutrition.
This bad nutrition might have oc-
Cured during a period Of fever or
other illness.
have seen a doctor tell by a
patients nails that a certain num-
Der of weeks ago he had typhoid
fever and also tell him how long
the typhoid fever lasted. Nearly
any infection or period Of acute
bad health will cause these trans
verse ridges.
Longitudinal ridges in the
nails, which run up and down, do
not mean anything. They are
simply an indication of an irregu-
larity in the root of the nail or
nail bed and this is an anatomical
condition which is laid down at
birth. In many instances these
longitudinal ridges can be traced
by heredity from son to father to
grandfather and in the female
line from daughter to mother TO
grandmother.
Brittle nails are a mystery TO
the medical profession. A good
many Of them perhaps are due to
nail polish or strong soap or ex-
posture to weather or to chemicals
in industry. But for most of them
there is no really good accounting.
They also have an hereditary ten
dency. They should be treated by
the use of oils and greases and
soaked in warm water and the use
Of very mild soap.
Change of Color
Color changes in the nails are
usually Of no significance. The
white spots, leuconychia, have no
meaning at all. Nearly any chem
ical which is taken into the body
which discolors the skin will also
discolor the nail.
Now last, to name the nail con-
ditions which indicate a general
constitutional disease: we find the
nails which go with dubbed fin
gers-enlargement of the hands
and fingers with nails that are
gently dome-shaped, Of an egg
shell consistency and are indica-
tons Of an infection Of the lungs
OF Of congenital heart disease.
have seen a diagnostician take a
patient with dubbed fingers and
curving nails and make a diagno-
sis Of an old, neglected, undrained
abscess in the lung on the ground
that they indicated constitutional
disease.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
D.P.:-I have been in bed five
weeks with rheumatic fever. Docs
one have to have absolute bed
rest? Does this fever come right
back again if one is exposed to
cold or gets chilled?
Answer: 1t is wise to enjoin
long period of bed rest in rheu-
matte fever in order to protect
the heart. Although it is true that
rheumatic fever tends to recur.
there is no rule or regularity
about its recurrence.