l quietly to observe the appearance of the
nails on a patient's hand.

They are peculiarly indicative of hereditary diseases, especially lungs,
heart, nerves, and spine.

They are divided into four very distinct classes. Long, Short, Broad, and
Narrow.

LONG NAILS

When the Nails are found very long, the general constitution never
appears to be so strong as when they are medium in size.

Persons with long Nails are more liable to all diseases of the Lungs and
Chest (Plate V., Part II.), and still more so when these long Nails are
seen ribbed or fluted, with the ribs running upward from the base to the
edge of the nail.

The same type of Nail, but shorter in appearance, indicates that the
delicacy lies higher up towards the throat, and denotes tendencies for
laryngitis, inflammation of the throat, and all bronchial troubles.

When especially long Nails are bluish in colour, they denote a still more
delicate constitution, coupled with poor circulation of the blood.

[Illustration: SHORT SQUARE NAILS. WEAK ACTION OF THE HEART.

SHELL-SHAPED NAILS. STRONG TENDENCY TOWARDS PARALYSIS.

DELICACY OF THROAT.

CHEST DELICATE AND BRONCHIAL.

LUNGS DELICATE.

SPINAL WEAKNESS.

SPINAL WEAKNESS.

PLATE V.--PART II.]

SHORT NAILS

Nails short in appearance denote a tendency towards weak action of the
heart, more especially so when the "moons" are very small or barely
noticeable. When the Nails appear very flat and sunk into the flesh at
the base they denote nerve diseases. When they are "ribbed" across the
Nail from side to side, the danger is still more apparent.

When a deep furrow is found across the Nail, it is a sign in any hand
that an unusual call has recently been made on the nervous system by
illness. If the following rule be studied, the date of this illness or
strain can be very clearly indicated.

As it takes about nine months for a nail to grow out from the base to the
outer edge, the nail can easily be divided into sections. When the furrow
or very deep "rib" is seen close to the edge, the illness took place
about nine months ago; when the furrow is seen about the centre, the date
was about from four to five months, and when at the base, about one month
previously.

White spots on the Nails are a sign of general delicacy, and when the
Nail is seen covered with small white flecks, the whole nervous system is
in a low state of health.

LONG NARROW NAILS

Very narrow Nails (Plate V., Par