Whitlow

Forms: α. 4–7 whitflawe, 5 whytflowe, 5–6 whitflowe, 6 whyte flaw, white flaw, 6–7 whiteflaw(e, 7–8 whit(-)flaw, whit(-)flow, (8 dial. whick-, 8–9 quickflaw). β. 5 whytlowe, whyte low, 6 whitlowe, 7 whitelow, (whitloaf), 7–9 whitloe, 6– whitlow. γ. 6 whytblow, whitblowe, (whetblowe), whiteblowe, 6–7 whitblow. [app. orig. whitflaw, -flow = WHITE a. + FLAW sb.¹ (q.v. sense 4); but the similarity of the first syllable to early mod.Du. vijt, fijt, LG. fît ‘whitlow’ is remarkable and suggests the possibility of alien origin. The alterations to whitblow, whitlow are difficult to account for. The supposition that the original form was whick-flaw, dial. var. of quick-flaw (Skeat), is not supported by the evidence.] A suppurative inflammatory sore or swelling in a finger or thumb, usually in the terminal joint; = PARONYCHIA 1 (cf. PANARICIUM).

  α.  a. 1400.  Alphita (Anecd. Oxon.), 138. Paniritula uel paranicium, i. apostema inter digitos, a*. a whitflawe.

a. 1425.  trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc., 42. Þe fistule bredyng in þe extremite of þe fynger deceyueþ sonner þe pacient þan in oþer places; ffor vnkunnyng seiþ þat it is þe whitflowe, whiche þou shalt knowe þus.

1556.  Withals, Dict. (1562), 77. A whiteflaw, rediuia.

1562.  Turner, Herbal, II. 25 b. The asshes [of wild grapes] … are good for medicines for the eyes, and wyth hony it healeth whit flawes, agnayles & goomes bledinge.

1648.  Herrick, Hesper., Oberon’s Palace, 59. The nails faln off by Whit-flawes.

1707.  J. Stevens, trans. Quevedo’s Com. Wks. (1709), 340. A gold Ring does not cure a Whitflaw.

1746.  Phil. Trans., XLIV. 228. Much used … in Cataplasms for the Fellon, or worst Kind of Whitflow.

a. 1800.  Pegge, Suppl. Grose, Whick-flaw.

  β.  c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 525/2. Whytlowe (P. whytflowe sore), panarucium.

1603.  Breton, Mad World (1635), B 8 b. Healing but a Whitloe on a Lords thumbe.

1658.  Rowland, trans. Moufet’s Theat. Ins., 1049. A live Chislep laid to a whitloaf, cures it.

1669.  W. Simpson, Hydrol. Chym., 206. They are not certainly able to perform the cure of … so much … as a paronychia or whitlow.

1705.  Sterne, Tr. Shandy, VII. xxi. A novice of the convent … had been troubled with a whitloe in her middle finger.

1813.  J. Thomson, Lect. Inflam., 337. Where the matter is lodged, as in some cases of whitloe, in the sheaths of the tendons.

1843.  R. J. Graves, Syst. Clin. Med., xxix. 371. A suppurating tumor resembling a whitlow.

1899.  Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VI. 575. Painless whitlow affects the fingers of patients suffering from peripheral nerve disease of the upper extremities.

  γ.  1547.  Boorde, Brev. Health, lvi. 17. A white blowe, or a whyte flaw, the whiche doth grow about the rote of the nayle.

1547.  Salesbury, Welsh Dict., Ewinor, a whetblowe.

1598.  Florio, Panariccio, a fellon, a whitblowe, that comes on ones finger tops.

  b.  attrib.: whitlow-grass, book-name of two early-flowering plants with white blossoms, formerly reputed to cure whitlows (cf. NAILWORT): Saxifraga tridactylites, Rue-leaved Whitlow-grass, and Draba (Erophila) verna (hence in mod. use extended to the whole genus Draba); whitlow-wort, a plant of the genus Paronychia, formerly reputed to cure whitlows.

1597.  Gerarde, Herbal, II. clxxxvi. 498. Of Whiteblowe, or Whitlowe grasse. Ibid., 499. Rewe leafed Whitlowe grasse. Jagged Whitlowe grasse.

1634.  T. Johnson, Merc. Bot., 57. Rue Whitlow-grasse.

1650.  [W. Howe], Phytol. Brit., 88. Paronychia altera,… Rue Whitlow-grasse. Paronychia major,… Whitlow-wort…. Paronychia vulgaris,… Chickweed Whitlow-grasse.

1785.  Martyn, Lett. Bot., ii. (1794), 31. Those whose seed vessel is a silicle … as whitlow-grass.

1822.  Hortus Anglicus, II. 143. D[raba] Verna. Common Whitlow Grass.… D. Aizoides. Sen Green, or Alpine Whitlow Grass.… D. Pyrenaica. Pyrenean Whitlow Grass.