Chapped Hands.—(a) Some persons are sadly troubled with their hands cracking. It sometimes comes from a persons health; but there is one great thing to keep in mind—that is, every time you wash or wet your hands, be sure and dry them well. Always, after wiping them, hold them to the fire till quite dry. This is very important. As an outward application, spermaceti ointment, with a small quantity of lead acetate and some camphor well mixed is a good thing. Rub some well in at night on going to bed, and do not use strong soap.
(b) A mixture of 1-2 dr. hydrochloric acid to 4 oz. water for use in case of chapped hands, and even when the skin is cracked and bleeding, relieves the complaint at once, and if persevered in effects a cure.
(c) Into a 3 oz. glass-stoppered bottle pour ½ oz. pure glycerine; fill up with distilled water and shake. A few drops in the palm rubbed and distributed over the hands when nearly dry, after washing, will in a short time render the skin like satin. It is well to scald the bottle before filling, to check the development of vegetable organisms (“ropiness”). Do not increase this quantity of glycerine, or it will make your hands sticky.
(d) One part (say 1 oz.) pure glycerine, 1 of Eau-de-Cologne, 2 of water; mix them in a bottle and use a few drops well rubbed in after every washing of the hands, and as frequently in the day as can conveniently be done.
(e) Mix equal quantities pure glycerine and pure water together, and add as much common salt as the liquid will dissolve. Rub this frequently on the cracked portions of the hands, giving an extra quantity just before going to bed.
(f) Salicylic acid and borax, each 1½ dr., glycerine up to 2 oz.
(g) Equal quantities carbolic acid and glycerine.
Chilblains.—(a) Chilblains are likely to be caused by sudden change from cold to heat or vice versâ. This will explain why the hands and feet, nose and ears, are mostly the parts affected, because they are the parts most prominently exposed to such changes. Invalids and scrofulous persons are more likely to suffer than the robust and healthy. As prevention is better than cure, care should be taken to protect the parts by substances which are non-conductors of heat. Woollen socks, stout boots, and warm gloves are safe preventives, and especially taking care not to warm the parts affected by cold by any other means than friction, and in case of persons predisposed to chilblains, the frequent ablution of the extremities in tepid water and the use of good yellow soap is advisable, bathing the feet and hands in tepid water slightly salted, every night, is a good antiphlogistic. Should these means fail, where the skin is not broken, use a liniment of 1 oz. camphorated spirits of wine mixed with ½ oz. Goulard’s extract; but the best remedy is a lotion composed of 1 dr. iodine in 3 oz. rectified spirits of wine, to be applied with a brush not more than once a day. Should the chilblain be broken or ulcerated a different treatment must be adopted—warm poultices ought to be applied, and discontinued after about 3 days; the sores must then be touched with the tincture of iodine once a day, and then dressed with basilicon ointment; when they begin to granulate freely, a simple dressing of the above ointment is sufficient to complete a cure. Care ought always to be taken not to let chilblains break through the skin, as they are very liable to mortify.
(b) Copper sulphate in solution is about the best thing to allay the itching before they break. Also is used with very good effect an embrocation composed of 1 dr. tincture of capsicum and 7 dr. soap liniment. After they have broken, the best application will be carbolic acid and linseed oil—1 part of the former to 5 of the latter, to be applied with a feather (the pure acid should be used for this). This is the most useful application for any open sore.