CHILBLAINS

Southland Times, Issue 22969, 15 August 1936, Page 16

CHILBLAINS

Why Have Them?

Most people know what a chilblain looks like, even if they are so fortunate as never to have had one. They may be described as small bluish-red livid and shiny swellings which itch intensely at times. These swellings occur chiefly on the extremities—the fingers and toes, though some unlucky folk may get them on the rims and lobes of the ears, or the point of the nose. They are caused by exposure to cold and damp during wintry weather, and are developed in susceptible persons who have a poor circulation. In such people they may be brought on by warming the hands and feet too quickly in front of a hot fire. Another cause may be sitting still for any length of time with cold or damp feet. For this reason, children of school age are very liable to chilblains, and it is a good plan for school-teachers to vary the “sitting-down” classes in frosty weather with frequent short periods of exercises. Susceptible children should also wear in winter time, woollen gloves and stockings and thick well-soled shoes loose enough not to interfere with the circulation. And at night, warm bedsocks should be worn all through the winter months, as the sudden contact with cold sheets may start a chilblain. Warm, but not too hot water, should be used for washing the hands and feet and care taken to dry them thoroughly afterward. Efforts should be made to keep the hands and feet continuously warm, instead of plunging them into hot water, or placing them near a fire from time to time, which may bring about the very trouble one seeks to avoid.

The violent itching, which usually occurs at about the same hour every day, or as soon as the chilled members begin to thaw after a period of cold, must not be allayed by equally violent scratching of the part, as such handling may quite easily make the chilblain a “broken” one. Once the tender and inflamed skin gives way, a new danger appears, either because of the scratching, or because a blister which is apt to form on the chilblain, has burst and left a raw surface through which the dirt may enter and set up blood-poisoning. If the itching becomes intolerable, gentle friction with the palm of the hand containing a little camphor liniment will ease it, or the part may be painted with a weak tincture of iodine. Children who are subject to chilblains often derive a great benefit from taking a teaspoonful of cod liver oil and malt three times a day throughout the winter months. Their diet should be plentiful, and include milk and fattv

foods. Suet puddings are a valuable food, and if a strong objection should be shown to taking the fat of meat, a small daily portion of cream may be given instead. Children usually enjoy this. Eggs also are very useful.