“ LET US TAKE THE ROAD.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17905, 22 July 1926, Page 12

“ LET US TAKE THE ROAD.”

Now that the practice of going on long walking is growing steadily in popularity, and the spectacle of men and women on a country road with packs on their backs and shod for the. long trail is no longer provocative of gaping curiosity or howls of derision, it would appear useful to consider how the feet of the would-be "hiker” may best be hardened against the rigours of the road, and how the commoner foot ailments may be treated, and, better still, prevented. THE CORRECT STOCKINGS. The prevention of foot strain and of blisters is largely a matter of the proper selection of stockings and shoes, i Silk hose form no part of the equipment. The stockings must be of lightweight wool, and the fitting should be perfect, that is to say, neither tight enough to cramp the toes or loose enough to form rucks under which blisters may develop. The shoes, though sensible, need not be unassthetic. A stout sole, low heel, a broad toe-cap with aboiit half an inch clearance in front of the toes, and an absence, when the shoe is on the foot, either of a feeling of tense bulging or of loose leather, are the essentials of a good marching shoe. And such a shoe must be broken in, not just before the tramping holiday, but weeks ahead. Oiling to soften the leather, and make it waterproof is useful, but must not be .carried to excess. YOUR ‘‘PRESSURE POINTS.” It is while the shoes are being broken in that one discovers one’s own "pressure points”—that is to say, the points that will prove most vulnerable to blisters in the course of the long day s march if special precautions are not taken. The best measures to adopt to harden the feet are to bathe them in a 10 per cent solution of formaldehyde every other day for a fortnight before the proposed walking tour, and to bathe them regularly in cool water, avoiding, however, too much soaking, which only softens and weakens the skin. Pressure points may be protected first by dabbing on a little iodine, and then by covering them with a little lint held in place with adhesive plaster. A SUITABLE DRESSING. In a break in the skin docs occur, an iodine dressing and pad must be put on at once. To treat blisters, first dab iodine over them, then prick them at the lowest point with a needle mat has been reddened in a flame. On no account remove the blister-skin, but let the matter run out, and finally put on an iodine dressing as explained above.