MEDICAL.
Hermia.—We have never seen nor heard of cancer occurring in a girl of eighteen. The earliest age at which we have seen cancer of the breast was twenty-four. The disease is exceedingly rare before thirty-five. You have probably got a simple swelling. Go to a surgeon and ask his advice. Possibly a trivial operation may be needed to remove the lump.
Ma Tante.—What is your work? This is the first question to ask anyone who is troubled with roughness of the arms. We would have been pleased if you had given us a description of the roughness of which you complain. Roughness above the elbows may be due to so many causes. If there is nothing to see upon your arm, no spots or patches, but simply a slight scaliness of the arm, wash the place in warm water and soap, and then smear on a very little lanoline or simple ointment.
Complexion.—1. We have published many long “Answers” on the subject of face-spots. In last year’s volume you will find a very long account of “acne” in an answer to “Fair Isabel.” In 1896 we published an article on face-spots. You should read these and they will tell you practically all that you require. The little article on the complexion, recently published, will also help you.—2. The soap that you mention is made for household and not for toilet use. We strongly dissuade you from using it for washing your face.
Tiger.—We are always pleased to answer questions about the feet and hands, for the subject has great fascination for us. The cause and treatment of flat-foot are well understood; but it is far more easy to prevent the feet from becoming flat, than it is to restore the natural arch of the foot after it has once been broken down. The causes of flat-foot are numerous. Occupations which necessitate prolonged standing. How often we see flat-foot in policemen. Occupations in which you sit down all day. The office clerk is generally flat-footed. Weakness of the muscles of the legs, whether part of a general weakness or not, is another cause. Lastly, and vastly the most important cause of all is ill-fitting foot-gear. We do not believe that flat-foot would ever occur if people did not wear boots or shoes. If your boots are very well made, and do not bend at the waist, but are flexible in the toes, they will not produce flat-foot. But by far the greater number of boots bend in the waist only, the result is, that the centre of the foot, where nature intended that but little movement should take place, is the only part of the civilised foot which is free to bend. Its joints are dragged open at every step, the tendons and ligaments give way, the arch collapses and the foot becomes quite flat. To treat flat-foot, get boots which fit well, and which are prevented from bending in the centre by being stiffened with a steel waist. Pads are often used for this complaint. The pads are shaped like a division of an orange and are placed in the boots to support the instep. If they fit and are comfortable they are useful. If, as is usually the case, they do not fit, they cause extreme discomfort and do great harm. Walking on tip-toe for half an hour a day, without boots or shoes on, will help to strengthen the foot and relieve the flatness. Walking, running and jumping, are excellent exercises for the relief or flat-foot. Skipping is a pleasant and useful pastime for flat-footed girls.
Forget-me-not.—1. We are much pleased to hear that your daughter’s hair has improved from using the wash. Continue to wash her hair once a week with the boracic acid. After having washed and dried her hair rub a little sulphur ointment into the scalp. It is useless to apply the ointment to the hair itself.—2. Your second question is rather difficult to answer. Your daughter is certainly suffering from blepharitis—a most intractable disease. The treatment that you are carrying out is the best we know; but we would suggest that she should bathe her eyes twice a day in warm solution of bicarbonate of soda (5 grains to the ounce). In your daughter’s case it is probable that something more than lotions and ointments is needed. It is well worth your while to consult an ophthalmic surgeon. The longer the disease has lasted the more difficult it is to cure. You should attend to the general health of your daughter and feed her well.
Hesperus.—Do not feed your children on condensed milk alone. If you continue to do so you will have five rickety children to look after. Cow’s milk diluted with fresh barley water is the best artificial food (excluding asses’ milk which is very expensive) for infants. The elder children may be allowed to eat much the same as you do yourself. It is always well to let children have plenty of milk even when they can digest ordinary adult diet. Give the child with “weak legs” a little cream with her milk.
Ursula.—1. A pale swollen tongue is a symptom of many complaints. Usually it denotes indigestion, constipation or anæmia. It is constantly present in atonic and amylaceous dyspepsia.—2. The incubation period of mumps is rather variable. It is usually from two to three weeks.
Roly Poly.—1. The usual expedient adopted to cure children from the habit of biting their nails is to dip their fingers into tincture of aloes or solution of alum. If you cannot cure yourself of the habit by rational means, you might try one of these measures; but surely a girl of seventeen can restrain herself from such a habit. It is a very silly trick to get accustomed to, for it interferes with the proper development of the nails, and, consequently, spoils the look of the hands.—2. Clean your nails well and rub a very little lanoline into them.
Janet.—Go to an ophthalmic surgeon and get your eyes seen to at once. If taken in time squint is usually cured without operation.
Miriam.—We cannot too strongly insist upon the foolishness of taking patent medicines. How anyone can trifle with her health in this way we cannot conceive. When you take patent medicine, what are you doing? You are throwing into your blood a decoction of which you know nothing. You are feeding yourself upon drugs which, for all you know, may poison you. And what do you take these drugs for? Oh, for a headache, or for biliousness! And yet you have no stronger authority for taking the stuff for your ailment than the assurance of the company who sells the medicine. Of course we know that most patent medicines are inert; but only this morning a case is related in the newspapers of a woman who died from taking somebody’s pills. Give up your silly habit of taking drugs at all. If you were not careless with your health you would probably not be suffering from your present troubles.