THE PHYSICAL EXAMINATION 31 



the child. Taken in consideration with other 

 points, hot and dry hands often indicate a 

 feverish condition, and cold and moist hands are 

 sometimes signs of low vitality, or sometimes, 

 with boys, they may indicate bad habits. An 

 excessively strong grip is often the sign of a ner- 

 vous condition, which causes one to put forth, in 

 every action, much more energy than is required. 

 The flabby, weak hand, as might be supposed, 

 tells of a vitality below normal from some cause 

 or other. 



Bitten finger-nails are another sign of an 

 unhealthy nervous condition, a condition which 

 may have been brought on by causes as diverse 

 as eye-strain, malnutrition, and cigarette smok- 

 ing. 



Where the pressure of the thumb leaves a white 

 area on the back of a red hand, we have a crude 

 means for making a quick judgment as to the 

 circulation. If the return of the blood is rapid, 

 then we have a reason for thinking the circulation 

 to be in fairly good condition any way. If, on 

 the contrary, the white mark remains a long 

 while, especially if the back of the hand appears 

 not only red but more or less rough as well, then 

 we can consider the possibility of cyanosis being 

 present — some unhealthy condition of the vaso- 

 motor system. The other points noted about the 

 hands explain themselves. 



