CAUSE OF CORNS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 4652, 2 February 1935, Page 3

CAUSE OF CORNS

CHIROPODISTS AND DOCTORS DISAGREE. Chiropodists and doctors in London are in disagreement- as to the cause of corns. Weighty opinion in the “Lancet” has been brought to bear on this age-long irritation. It was decided that though badfitting shoes play some part in producing corns, “bad miuscular habits” are held to be of more importance. But one of London’s best-known chiropodists has declared that the doctors are miles out in their-reckon-ing. “I have been cutting corns for over 40 years,” he said, “and I ought to know what I am talking about. Many doctors are among those who have come to me for relief from this agony whose cause they cannot explain.” Corns, the chiropodist said, are

not the result primarily of shoes that do not fit, or of faulty muscle balance, as suggested in the “Lancet.” There is one cause only, and that is uric acid. Bad-fitting shoes, or other kinds of friction, are naturally responsible for the corns growing on particular parts of the feet, but the origin is in the system. “There is not the slightest doubt about it,” he added. “In my career I have questioned thousands of patients, and in practically every bad case they have suffered from uric acid in the system.” Don’t Blame the Shoe. Some people have corns whatever kind of shoes they wear. Wealthy people their shoes ‘ specially made for them by the most skilful shoemakers. It makes no difference. “Corns can only be cured permanently by proper diet,” the chropodist concluded. “When people learn to feed correctly, we chiropodists will be out of business. But that time is a long way off.”