It is to be noticed that a corn is thus composed wholly of cuticular matter, and is entirely outside of the true skin.
It has been suggested that here is an instance in which the remedial effort made by Nature converts itself into a diseased and painful action, defeating its primary purpose and creating a worse condition than the one sought to be relieved. But this is not correct. Nature does not put the boot on the foot, nor continue its wear after the corn has originated. On the contrary, if her intimations were heeded, the boot would be discarded the first time it pinched, and there is every reason to believe that then the growth of the corn would be discontinued, and what had already formed would disappear. It is stated in medical works that persons confined by sickness for a considerable time have had their corns entirely leave them without any treatment at all, simply because there was no pressure to keep up the irritation, and consequently no demand for their existence.
It has been generally considered that tight boots were the great cause of all the corns and bunions with which the feet have been tormented, and tight boots have accordingly been cursed from toe to heel for their mischievous qualities in this respect. Though it is true that the unnecessary tightness of boots is a principal source of corns, there are others that may not be overlooked. Loose boots, that allow the heel to slip up and down, or the whole foot to slide forward at every step, are effective in the production of these annoyances. Hard, stiff leather is another quite efficient thing in this way. Whether the boot be tight or loose makes not much difference, if it be stiff and hard. Large wrinkles over the joint may sometimes have an effect of the same kind, especially if the leather is no softer “than it ought to be.” High heels, that pitch the foot forward, and keep it constantly bearing against the leather over the toes, have a great tendency to develop corns. The drawing together of the toes by boots and shoes that are narrow at this point, forcing the toes to crowd against each other, and pushing out the great-toe joint, is one of the most productive of all causes. When occurring upon the bottom of the foot, a peg or some hard projection of the insole of the boot is the agent to which they may be attributed. Between the toes they are most frequently developed, probably by the pressure of a boot that is too narrow, not only at the ends of the toes, but at their roots or metatarsal joints.
Bunions, we believe, are never found except upon the joint of the great toe, and the projection of this joint, from the wearing of short and narrow-toed shoes, can not be otherwise than strongly influential in producing them. From wearing foot-coverings of this fashion, which is almost the only kind we have at present, there is the constant tendency of the joint to enlarge, widen, and project. This increases its pressure against the leather, and may even create a pressure where there was none at the time the boot was first worn. It is not strange, therefore, that bunions make their appearance under such circumstances.
Thus it is seen that, setting aside the habit of wearing boots that are tight enough to pinch the foot, there is already found an abundant cause for corns. It ought to be sufficiently obvious that the principal characteristics of the present foot-covering—the narrow toes, being often short besides, and the high heels—are corn-producing in all their tendencies. If to these is added the practice, as with many persons, of wearing boots and shoes that are too tight for comfort, and often too narrow on the sole, there is ample reason for the fact that corned feet are numerous.
We do not know what first induced people to wear boots unnecessarily tight, unless it was the Chinese idea of taste, which desired to prevent the full development of the feet, or make them appear as small as possible. If this be still the motive, it is only necessary to repeat that a true taste demands that a foot be of a size proportionate to the size of the whole body, whether that be large or small. If it is to make the boot fit more smoothly and handsomely, then the object is more often defeated than accomplished. A boot that is too tight—tight enough to be uncomfortable—is not the boot that best fits the foot. It will have as many wrinkles in it as a loose one, and even more, if the leather be thin, while the foot can not go into it naturally. The best fitting boot or shoe is one made of the right shape to adapt it to the particular foot; which is just snug enough to confine it without any uneasy feeling; and into which it goes easily and naturally to its proper position. There is sufficient length to allow the toe to move without pressure on the nail, and sufficient width to let the toes lie side by side, in which position they appear much better than when piled one over another. There are no wrinkles made by loose leather—none by over-tightness. The room is entirely filled, while at the same time the foot is easy, and can make its natural movements in walking with ease and grace; which it can not do when squeezed into a boot that is too tight. A person wearing a tight boot has a stiff and unnatural walk, which can not be compensated by any beauty of the fit so gained, provided it is gained. There are only the soft and fleshy feet that can bear compression with any benefit to their appearance, and with these still the same rule is equally good—they must not be squeezed more than comfort will allow. If complaint is made that the upper leather stretches out, and the foot treads over the sole, and spreads and sprawls about more than appears neat and proper, it is only to be replied that if a shoe of the right shape, and sufficiently wide is worn, there will be no trouble of this kind.
On the whole, tight-boot-wearing is a humbug. It is entirely unnecessary, doing no good, while often defeating itself when its object is to improve the foot’s appearance. Besides the ordinary discomfort created by it, the whole tendency of extreme tightness is toward corns and deformity.
How much, now, it may be inquired, is meant by extreme tightness? The answer is—discomfort. A new boot or shoe that fits as it should, may be worn without serious discomfort for several hours, or half a day, when first put on. After three or four days it may be worn all the time. It ought not to be expected that it can be worn constantly at first; for if loose enough, for this it will soon be too loose for a handsome fit. Then, an article that is tight for a foot belonging to a weak and delicate organization, with a feeble circulation of blood, may be perfectly easy to a foot of the same size and shape belonging to a strong, healthy constitution with an energetic circulation; and for the same reason a person can wear a tighter shoe when young than when advanced in life, or failing in health; but either of these, and at any time, may be governed by the rule, that positive discomfort indicates extreme tightness. There are some kinds of material that stretch considerably under the foot’s pressure, and boots made from these should be a little tighter at first than those made of firmer stock. Besides, there are some feet so sensitive that very slight pressure or friction will develope corns on them, and such must wear a softer material than is worn by feet that are more hardy. The question of tightness is somewhat complicated by such considerations. Most of us, however, can usually tell for ourselves what is tight, and we have no right to decide for others.
Ordinary hard corns, when young, may be removed by scraping up the callous skin around the borders and prying out carefully with a pocket knife. There is no need of cutting through the under skin. In more difficult cases some further treatment will be necessary, and for them we quote the following methods, the first from Cooper’s “Dictionary of Surgery.”