Corns. A thickened, hardened growth of skin over a bony projection submitted to continually repeated pressures is called a corn. The most common sites for corns are the toe joints, because of pressure from shoes. If the pressure is removed, the corn cannot long exist, and here lies the cure of corns-the discarding of shoes which are too tight or ill-fitting. The sacrifice of the feet for the style of the moment should be abolished by law.
Calluses. A thickening and hardening of the skin over a broad, non-pointed structure such as the ball of the foot, is a callus. It differs from its cousin, the corn, by not having a sharp bony projection, such as a joint, beneath it. The pressure causing the callus is more distributed to form a wider area of thickened and hardened skin. It often looks like a widely spread-out corn. The relief of calluses, the same as in corns, demands relief of pressure against the calloused area. Removing the pressure allows a softening of the calloused skin, followed by its eventual flaking off in a large scab of dead skin.
Bunions. Continual, intermittent pressure, especially about the feet, frequently stimulates not only a thickening of skin, but also a growth of underlying bone. This bony growth is seen most often at the ball of the foot as a deformity of the base of the great toe. As the deformity becomes enlarged and more exposed, there is greater pressure and trauma on the bone, which of course, stimulates even greater growth and discomfort. Bunions sometimes reach outlandish sizes. Relief of the pressure that caused the bunion, allows relief for the callus overlying the bunion, but removal of the underlying
Figs. 142, 143. Bunions are bone growths on the feet, resulting from long and continuous pressure, rubbing or trauma. They become very painful but can be treated with minor surgery.
bone growth is also necessary for a long-lasting bunion cure. Temporary relief from most foot difficulties comes with the simple warm water foot bath, but this is obviously no permanent relief of bunions, calluses or corns. The biggest cause of these annoying conditions is still ill-fitting shoes, so most of our fifty year foot troubles would disappear if only we gave our feet the benefit of properly fitting shoes.