CORN, in medicine and surgery, a hard tubercle like a flat wart, growing in seve ral parts of the feet, especially upon the joints of the toes. This disorder is attri buted to the wearing of too strait or nar row-toed shoes, which never fail to pro duce these tubercles, especially if the , person is obliged to stand or walk much, and in the summer time. Various are the methods used for removing these callosi ties of the skin and cuticle ; some by knife, and others by application of emol lient and caustic or eroding medicines.
As few things are more troublesome than corns in the feet to those who have much walking, we may observe, that the pressure may be prevented in the follow ing manner : Take apiece of linen, spread with any emollient plaster ; lay one piece over another, eight or ten, or more times, and cut a hole in the middle of them, ex actly the same size and circumference as the corn, then apply it in such a way that the corn enters the hole in the plas ter, and is thus defended against the con tact of shots and stockings. Such .a plas
ter, properly applied, the corn will fre quently, in a few weeks, disappear with out any other remedy. If the corn is at the bottom of the foot, a hole cut in a felt sole, so as to fit the corn is sufficient. When this method is found inefficient, rub the corn with the volatile liniment two or three times, in the twenty-four hours, keeping it covered in the intervals with an emollient plaster. Every morning and evening the foot must be kept in warm wa ter for half an hour, and the corn well rub bed with soap. When softened with the water, it should be scraped with a blunt knife till the soft part is removed, and till the operation begins to give pain. This treatment is to be continued till the corn is entirely extirpated.