The first stage of such an inflammation makes the joints appear bluish-red, violet, and swollen. Frozen joints are at the beginning cold and difficult to move; they cause a stinging pain, particularly in the evening during damp, cold weather. During spring and summer the trouble often disappears entirely, but sometimes it appears even in midsummer. During the first winter the pains are more severe than in the following years.
A second and more advanced stage of localized freezing takes place where the cold was more intense, or where the organs were subjected to a more sudden warming. All symptoms are then more severe; the skin of the fingers cracks, and painful cuts, blisters, and sores result.
As the third stage of freezing, those instances are denoted where the frozen joints become immediately mortified, or where they are at first greatly inflamed and then become mortified. The mortification, however, rarely penetrates deeply; it is mostly restricted to the outer skin, which turns gray, black, and dry. Beneath this superficial mortification there is generally found an ulcer that can be cured.
When a frozen joint grows warm, and the congealed blood again becomes liquid, the blood can enter for a time into the open vessels; then the question arises if the blood-vessels and the tissues can perform the necessary transformation, or whether, as we have already suggested, the blood which had been frozen will act as a poison, induce the normal blood to congeal, and interrupt its circulation. This will then give rise to an insufficient supply, and will even induce dangerous poisoning. This is no doubt the main reason why the sudden warming of frozen individuals or frozen joints proves to be so dangerous.
The best advice, and the counsel to be given, above all, is, guard against freezing! In looking over what has been said so far, the best safeguard against this danger proves to be a strong, healthy, well-nourished body and a sound heart. Furthermore, for very cold weather, warm, common-sense clothing, which does not fit closely, and hence does not impede the circulation of the blood, is to be recommended.
Dresses of woolen goods are naturally warmer than those of linen or silk, the latter being better conductors of heat. During intensely cold weather, particularly when a dry wind is blowing, woolen gloves will not be amiss.
A certain robustness of health should be acquired by every one, and effeminacy of any kind should be avoided. Healthy children should go out in any kind of weather, and they should be rendered more hardy by cold washings daily. On wet days, if garments and shoes become damp, they should be replaced by dry ones immediately on returning home.
But if one has actually met with the misfortune of having a joint
