Page:Personal beauty how to cultivate and preserve it in accordance with the laws of health (1870).djvu/180

 In one instance of a young lady, faultless in the cares of the toilette, seemingly in excellent health, but with such an offensive perspiration to her feet that she could not remain at boarding-school, we tried with complete success, so far as we have since learned, the troublesome but efficient method recommended by the distinguished Professor Hebra, of Vienna. It is by means of strapping the foot assiduously with diachylon plaster, after having smeared it thoroughly with an alterative mercurial ointment.

The care of the toe-nails is essentially the same as that of the finger-nails, and should occupy quite as prominent a place in the daily duties of the toilette. They should be kept clean, cut a little shorter than the toe itself, the skin prevented from encroaching upon them, and occasionally polished with a little nail powder.

Sometimes the nail, especially that of the great toe, grows into the flesh, causing a most painful sore. The surgeon's remedy is to tear out the whole nail, or one half of it, with the tweezers. Patients, however, are not easily persuaded to submit to this, and we recommend, therefore, the method of bandaging. This is done by placing a small pad firmly against the flesh, and binding it in that position by adhesive plaster. We have also used, both alone and in connection with bandages, the sesquichloride of iron, which destroys the vitality and sensitiveness of the flesh without causing any pain.