224 On Diseases and Accidents of Farmers. 



Chilblains. — Are often produced from exposure of the 

 hands and feet to the cold, and then to the heat of a fire. 

 In some persons they are occasioned b}^ unavoidable ex- 

 posure to the daily change of temperature in the open air, 

 and in the house. Various remedies have been prescrib- 

 ed for this troublesome disease. It is often removed by 

 bathing the parts affected in cool water, twice or thrice 

 daily, and keepmg them in it until the itching and pain are 

 alloyed. They are then to be covered with a warm stock- 

 ing or glove. In others, the application of spirits of wine, 

 soap linament, or a strong solution of alum, or of strong 

 vinegar, or of a mixture of equal parts of oil of turpen- 

 tine and balsam copaiva ; a mixture of two parts of cam- 

 phorated spirit of wine, and one (jf lead water ; or a mix- 

 ture of one part of tincture of Spanish flies, with six of 

 soap linament, in different cases have afforded relief. 

 The means of prevention are, to avoid the causes men- 

 tioned. The complaint is often produced by exposure of 

 the feet to partial draughts of cold air from a door, while 

 the body is immersed in the warm air of the upper region 

 of the room. 



fVhitloxvs. — There are different species of this painful 

 disease, all of which should be attended to without delay. 

 They often proceed from bruises, pricks of splinters &c. 

 No benefit arises from promoting suppuration in the part. 

 The best practice is to diminish the inflammation by 

 leeches, and the application of a blister ; u hen the pain 

 extends up the arm, attended by fever, twelve ounces of 

 blood should be taken away. If suppuration take place, 

 make a free incision down to the bone. A full dose of 

 opium may be given three quarters of an hour before the 

 operation. Putting the hand in warm water after the use 

 of the lancet, will ease the pain. If permitted to run its 

 course, two months of suffering will be often endured. 



