To promote the _softness_ and _whiteness_ of the skin, mild emollient soaps, or those abounding in oil, should alone be used, by which means, also, chaps and chilblains will generally be avoided. The coarse strong kinds of soap, or those abounding in alkali, should, for a like reason, be rejected, as they tend to render the skin rough, dry, and brittle. The immersion of the hands in alkaline lyes, or strongly acidulated water, has a like effect. _Roughness of the skin_ may generally be removed by a little sand being mixed with the soap, or by rubbing the hands with pumice-stone previously to applying the soap; in this operation care should be taken not to allow the gritty particles to come into contact with nails, or they will scratch them. _Dirt from the hands_ is more effectually removed by warm water than cold; the hands, however, are liable to become dirty sooner afterwards, and perhaps the best plan is to remove the dirt with warm water, and afterwards rinse the hands in cold. _Washing the hands too frequently_ has a tendency to discolour them with a brown or tawny hue. Under ordinary circumstances it will be sufficient to wash the hands three times a day, namely, on rising, before dinner, and on retiring to rest. After washing, the hands should be carefully dried with a moderately coarse towel; this will promote a free circulation through them, which will ultimately tend to enhance their appearance. Exposure to cold winds and rain is detrimental to the appearance of the hands, and gloves should always be worn. _Fruit and ink stains_ may be eradicated from the hands, by immersing them in water, slightly acidulated with oxalic acid, or a few drops of oil of vitriol, or to which a little pearlash or chloride of lime has been added; observing afterwards to rinse them thoroughly in clean water, and not to touch them with soap for some hours, as any alkaline matter will bring back the stains. The hands may be _preserved dry_ for delicate work, by rubbing a little club moss, in fine powder, over them.