CARE OF THE HOME

Southland Times, Issue 19276, 21 June 1924, Page 15 (Supplement)

CARE OF THE HOME

A WINTER NURSERY. TREATMENT OF CHILBLAINS. These are one of the first symptoms of winter’s onset in susceptible people, and, like toothache and other so-called minor maladies, can bring themselves very painfully to one’s notice. Chilblains usually occur after exposure to cold in adolescents with a poor circulation. The hands, especially the fingers and knuckles, feet, and tips of the ears are the usual sites; in other words, those parts of the body exposed to extremes of heat and cold, where the blood does not circulate freely, and which have only a small layer of subcutaneous tissue between the skin and the bone (states a writer in an exchange). The action of cold is first to cause a local anaemia and slowing of the circulation in the part, and when the cold no longer acts this is followed by an overdilatation of the toneless capillaries and venules, giving rise to the well-known symptoms of redness, swelling, and itching. Preventive treatment is essential. Those persons predisposed to chilblains are usually thin, with a sluggish circulation, and do not take sufficient open-air exercise. There also seems to be a deficiency of calcium salts in their blood, thence lime in some form is very often a cure, and knowing that sugar is one of the greatest thieves of these salts from the body, sweets should not be indulged in. A general tonic containing calcium, usually combined with iron and arsenic, is often very efficacious. Plenty of open-air exercise to improve the general tone of the blood vessels and muscular system generally, and suitable clothing, are essential. Instead of putting on an overcoat when going for a walk, less might be put on, and on coming into sit down the overcoat or extra clothing should be put on. Thick woollen stockings or socks and easy-fitting boots or shoes should be worn to keep the feet warm; most cases of chilblains on the feet are due to thin shoes or tight boots impeding the circulation and keeping the feet cold. When the hands are affected tight gloves should be avoided, and loose, warm ones worn instead if the hands are apt to be cold when out. But the commonest cause of chilblains on the hands is washing them in cold water, and then, after imperfectly dry ing them, warming them immediately at a fire. This seems to be a much more frequent cause of chilblains than cold alone, hence tepid or warm water should always be used, the hands well dried on a rough towel, and the fire avoided. In addition to the above general lines of treatment, or when, in spite of all care, a chilblain makes its presence felt, keeping the affected part warmly wrapped up is usually sufficient, but it may also be treated directly by such means as painting the red area with spirits of camphor, tincture of iodine, collodion, or anything of a like nature, which will usually cause them to disappear. Once the chilblain has been neglected in a severe case the undernourished skin breaks, and a very indolent, slow-healing ulcer is formed, which requires a mildly stimulating antiseptic, such as iodine ointment. CHAIR COVERS. POINTS ON MAKING THEM. Using the old covers as a pattern from which to cut the new, there is nothing very difficult about the making of loose covers for chairs and chesterfields. It is a task that can quite well be undertaken by the needlewoman of average attainments, and she can save a considerable amount of money thereby. When buying the material, see that it is a “reversible” cretonne, which is exactly the same on both sides. It does not cost any more than a design printed on one side only, and it has two advantages. In the first place, it does not fade so quickly, and in the second, with a little extra trouble, the covers can be made so that ■ they, too, are reversible, and equal wear i can be given to each side. Instead of piping the seams with a cord, ! make each join a neat run and fell seam of narrow dimensions. Admittedly this takes a little longer, but it makes both sides perfectly neat. Of course, the frill has .to be hemmed up on one side, but if this is very carefully machine-stitched it is quite ■ indistinguishable when the covers are being used on the “wrong” side.