The Home Medical Library, Volume 1 (of 6) — John Shaqi
The Home Medical Library, Volume 1 (of 6)
Science
The Home Medical Library, Volume 1 (of 6)
Medicine; Medicine, Popular
=Treatment.=--The treatment for the painful variety of bunion and
housemaid's knee is much the same: absolute rest with the foot kept
raised, and application of cloths kept constantly wet with ice or cold
water; or a thick covering of Cataplasma Kaolini (U. S. P.) may be
applied until the inflammation has subsided. If the trouble is
chronic, or the acute inflammation does not soon abate under the
treatment advised, the case is one for the surgeon, and sometimes
requires the knife for abscess formation. In the milder cases of
bunion, wearing proper shoes whose inner border forms almost a
straight line from heel to toe, so that the great toe is not pushed
over toward the little toe, and painting the bunion every few days
with tincture of iodine, until the skin begins to become sore, will
often be sufficient to secure recovery.
=RUN-AROUND; WHITLOW OR FELON.=--"Run-around" consists in an
inflammation of the soft parts about the finger nail. It is more
common in the weak, but may occur in anyone, owing to the entrance of
pus germs through a slight prick or abrasion which may pass unnoticed.
The condition begins with redness, heat, tenderness, swelling, and
pain of the flesh at the root of the nail, which extends all about the
nail and may be slight and soon subside, or there may be great pain
and increased swelling, with the formation of "matter" (pus), and
result in the loss of the nail, particularly in the weak.
Whitlow or felon is a much more serious trouble. It begins generally
as a painful swelling of one of the last joints of the fingers on the
palm side. Among the causes are a blow, scratch, or puncture. Often
there is no apparent cause, but in some manner the germs of
inflammation gain entrance. The end of the finger becomes hot and
tense, and throbs with sometimes almost unbearable pain. If the
inflammation is chiefly of the surface there may be much redness, but
if mainly of the deeper parts the skin may be but little reddened or
the surface may be actually pale. There is usually some fever, and the
pain is made worse by permitting the hand to hang down. If the felon
is on the little finger or thumb the inflammation is likely to extend
down into the palm of the hand, and from thence into the arm along the
course of the tendons or sinews of the muscles. Death of the bone of
the last finger joint necessitating removal of this part, stiffness,
crippling, and distortion of the hand, or death from blood poisoning
may ensue if prompt surgical treatment is not obtained.
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