Biting the Finger-Nails

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 133, 7 May 1892, Page 4

Biting the Finger-Nails

Biting the finger- nails is a prolific cause of death, according to a medical correspondent. On one occasion, at a post-mortem, he observed the entire coating 1 of the stomach bristling with bits of finger-nails. Apart from the physiological *phase of this subject it is anything but pleasant to sqq persons gnawing at the ends of their fingers. It is said that this habit indicates a bad disposition ; but our observation leads us to believe that it is quite as likely to accompany nervous conditions as any defect in the temper. The habit is comparatively easy to break off if one goes at it in the right way. A middleaged patient, after having bitten her nails for almost her entire lifetime broke herself of the habit by beginning on one finger. This she persistently left alone and carefully cultivated the finger-nail, giving a certain amount of attention to it every day. When this finger-nail had grown to the usual length she took up another, and so on, until all her nails but one were in perfect shape. It took months of the most persistent effort to break up the last remaining- scrap o» this tenacious practice. She said that she thoughtit was actually the greatest struggle of her life. The habit had become so fixed that, after days or abstinence from even a single nibble she would find herself almost viciously gnawing, at the poor little finger, but after a while the effort was a success, and, although her hands never regained their symmetrical shape, they were vastly improved, and her health, which had been seriously affected, improved also- She had for years been subject to indigestion and kindred difficulties, but they almost entirely left her. She could not bs persuaded to believe that the breaking up of the habit of biting her finger-rails had anything to do with her improved health, but our medical correspond ent always entertained a very decided opinion on the subject. — Science Sittings.