HEALTH HINTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 16, 16 July 1910, Page 13

HEALTH HINTS.

HEREDITARY INSAOTTY. SOME KEMABiKABLE FACTS. Dr. Lewis, medical superintendent of Banning Asylum, Kent, in his annual report to the County Council, gives some remarkable facts with regard to heredi tary insanity. "One cannot fail to observe," he says, "the large number of our patients who are related to one another. We have at the present time in this asylum examples of brothers, sisters, brother and sister, father and daughter, father and sone, mother and daughter, uncle and niece, aunt and nephew, besides many cases of more distant relatives. Out of a total of 1934 persons admitted during (the past five years, I have discovered evidences of insanity in the family, and often, in many members, in 828 instances, or 42.7 per cent. An analysis of these 82S cases brings into prominence three very important facts:— "1. That the disease makes its appearance early in life. "2. Should the patients be discharged, they are prone to relapse. "3. Should they remain and die lere, they usually do so at a good old age. "The conclusion of the whole matter is ithis, that our asylum, population is constantly recruited from and maintained, by persons who have some inherited defect of brain-«ell which renders them unfit to meet the ordinary stress of life, and until the State is able to devise some suitable means for the permanent care and control of euch persons, the ranks of the insane -will continue to be filled and to burden the ratepayer." INGROWING TOE-NAlti.

The painful condition known as ingrowing toe-nail is due in almost every case to the wearing of improperly fitting or 'badly shaped boots. Cutting the nails too short is also a contributory cause in some cases, in any event, the characteristic feature of the condition is that the soft part of the toe gets pressed against and over the edge of the nail, and thus becomes inflamed, and especially -with those who do not keep the feet clean —ultimately ulcerated. Ingrowing toe-nail is extremely painful, and in bad cases makes walking almost impossible. If neglected, an offensive discharge occurs along the sides of the nail and great swelling frequently results. From what I have said as to the cause, it is obvious that the important preventive measures in connection with this condition consist in wearing properly shaped and properly fitting boots, and In keeping the feet scrupulously clean. Unfortunately, fashion has a nasty habit of over-riding common-sense, and there are few people, at any rate few women, who are willing to wear boots of the same shape as the human foot. The proper form of the sole of the foot is that obtained by placing the foot (with

■the toes well extended and opened out) on a slieet of paper, and drawing its j ( outline with, a pencil held vertically. ; . There will be found a steady increase 1 of width from heels to toes. Once the I : symptoms of ingrowing toe-nail have I manifested themselves, the wisest step i ■to take is to consult a good doctor. All .' pressure must be removed from the toe, | the nail should be cut so as not to touch . the inflamed surface, and a little boracic • lint or wool should be introduced between the flesh and the edge of the j nail. The most scrupulous cleanliness is necessary throughout. i 1 — 1