CURE YOURSELF OF CHILBLAINS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19805, 22 May 1934, Page 12

CURE YOURSELF OF CHILBLAINS

Extremes of temperature mostly cause chilblains, so protect your extremities sensibly. Avoid short sleeves and too flimsy stockings. Wear woollined gloves, thicker hose, and stouter boots or shoes, which should be loosefitting. Too tight garments—gloves, shoes, garters, etc. —which may induce congestion, are undesirable. See that the middle of the body is warmly clad, though not overclad. Your diet should be nutritious and heat-providing, containing a sufficiency of fatty material. Keep your circulation active from the beginning to the end of the day. Begin warm. If your feet are cold when you get out of bed, you must jump about and skip until they are warm. Practise some regular morning exercises and deep “breathers” before an open window, and don’t forget to take some regular exercise outdid’.: as well.

When your hands or feet feel “dead,” avoid the fire; rub them briskly instead. Avoid very hot or very cold water for washing. Frequent washing of the hands contributes to chilblains. Dry the hands thoroughly, paying particular attention to the spaces between the fingers. Treat your chilblains in this way: If they are unbroken, rub in an ointment composed of two drachms of the oil of wintergreen in an ounce of lanolin (to which menthol may be added in the proportion of fifteen grains to the ounce), should irritation be distressing last thing before retiring. When they are broken, great cleanliness must be observed in the dressing. Suitable dressings are friar’s balsalm or some brand of iodine ointment. A tonic of calcium will be necessary. Calcium lactate is the usual one, but even more efficacious are the tablets of calcium sodium lactate, with Vitamin D. —Home Chat.