CORMORAN, a Cornish giant in the nurs ery tale (Jack, the Giant-killer.' CORN (from French come, from Lat. cornu, a horn, from its horny nature), a hard ened and thickened portion of cuticle produced by pressure. Corns are generally found on the outside of the toes, but sometimes between them, on the sides of the foot, or even on the ball. They gradually penetrate deeper into the parts, and sometimes occasion extreme pain. No part of the human body, probably, has been injured so much by our injudicious mode of dress as the feet, which have become, in general, de formed. To this general deformity of the foot belong the corns, produced by the absurd forms of our shoes and boots. They appear at first as small dark points in the hardened skin, and in this state stimulants or escharotics, as nitrate of silver (lunar caustic), are recom mended. The corn is to be wet and rubbed with a pencil of the caustic every evening. It is well
to have the skin previously softened. If the corn has attained a large size removal by a cutting or ligature will be proper. In all cases of cutting corns very great precaution is to be observed. The feet ought always to be bathed previously. Mortification has, in many in stances, resulted from the neglect of this pre caution, and from cutting too deep. An effi cacious remedy for corns is the application of glacial acetic acid night and morning. This acid has a peculiarly destructive effect on the epidermis, of which corns are a hypertrophy. Salicylic acid is also an excellent application. A simple and generally very efficacious means of alleviating the pain caused by corns and remov ing the cause for their growth is the applica tion of a thick adhesive plaster, in the centre of which a hole has been made for the reception of the projecting part.