Dress and care of the feet /

by John Lord Peck

In all these cures the essential parts of the treatment are, first, the emollient ointment or warm water to soften the skin and remove soreness; then caustics—soap and soda, nitric, muriatic, and manganic acids—to destroy the mass of the corn; after which the remainder is lifted out with a knife; the leather and felt serving as a protection from the shoe.

It is said, and with considerable evidence to support the statement, that ordinary mild corns may be cured in a couple of weeks by winding a cotton rag around the toe or foot, so as to cover the corn with several thicknesses, and then keeping this bandage constantly wet by bathing the feet twice a day in cold water. To which it may be added, that many corns will probably disappear if constantly kept moist and soft in any manner, provided the external irritation is entirely removed.

Very often it is the case that new corns, both hard and soft, grow up in the places where they have been taken away before, re-appearing, some of them, several times; and it is a question if the common practice of putting leather with a hole in it around the corn does not tend to make the latter grow up again by pressing on the edges of the cavity. It is perhaps better, therefore, that the leather or felt be worn for some time after the corn is gone, to keep the pressure of the boot away from the part till it has regained its natural condition, and it is well to make the hole in the plaster so large, that even the border of the sensitive cavity will not be touched. When a surface has been secreting corn-material for a length of time, it is not strange that it should continue the habit without much provocation. In these cases where the corn grows again, it may perhaps be advisable to touch the most central part, or place of the point, with nitric acid or some other caustic, to destroy the papillæ, and change the structure of the skin, as is done with a wart; where it is so effectual that the wart never re-appears. It is not necessary to burn the surrounding surface, or make anything more than a very small burn anywhere. The acid should be applied with some sharp-pointed instrument, just wet with it, so there shall be no danger of putting on too much. If there is any fear of creating too much inflammation, it can be postponed till the acute sensitiveness has become somewhat abated.

For soft corns it is doubtful whether any other treatment than burning will be completely successful, though it may be well to try some other method first. Burning is rather severe, but reasonably sure, and a thousand times better, than to suffer from the corn. But little acid need be applied at a time, and as soon as the under skin becomes inflamed the desired effect is accomplished; for when it heals, the corn is “done for” and gone. Something soft may be put between the toes to separate them, and prevent any unnecessary irritation during the process.

Corns on the bottom of the foot are amenable to caustic like the rest, the felt sole with a hole in it being used for protection during the operation.

Inflamed and suppurated corns are to be cut down as much as possible and lanced, according to Erichsen—one of the best authorities—though it would seem to one unacquainted with the matter that they might be removed like the others. They are intensely painful, and a surgeon’s skill is necessary to treat them properly.

Some of the medical books represent that there is more or less danger in using caustics in severe cases, where the patient is an old person, or one of feeble vitality, or extreme nervous sensibility. It is always well to proceed safely, and have medical advice before operating on such a patient.

In addition to the ordinary hard and soft varieties, black and bleeding corns are described by one writer on the subject, some of which are reported very difficult to cure and dangerous to manage; their injudicious removal being liable to result in convulsions, and even lockjaw and death; all of which frightful consequences may be accepted as inducements to avoid the productive first causes of the trouble.

In regard to the treatment of bunions, the following from the “Hydropathic Encyclopædia,” is the only thing we are able to find in the books.

“This affliction, though generally regarded as a kind of corn, is really an inflammation and swelling of the bursa mucosa,[8] at the inside of the ball of the great toe; it often produces a distortion of the metatarsal joint of the great toe, and is produced by the same causes as corns. The treatment is, warm foot-baths when the part is very tender and irritable; at other times frequent cold baths; and when a horny substance, resembling a corn, appears externally, the application of caustic. I have known bad corns and bunions cease to be troublesome after the patient had been a few months under hydropathic treatment for other complaints.”