DEAR DR. GOTT: My husband is having a problem with his thumbs and index fingers splitting open, even if he has his gloves on. He has tried all kinds of lotions and creams, but nothing has helped.

He has glued them together and taped them together. But as soon as they heal, they split again. The skin around them gets rough. Then here go the lotions again. It doesn’t take any more than him plugging in a cord to start splitting. What is your advice?

DEAR READER> I have received many letters from readers with dry, cracking skin who have experienced marked relief by applying Bag Balm or Vicks VapoRub. Try either (or both) of these remedies.

DEAR DR. GOT$> About 1-[1/2] years ago, I wrote to you twice trying to get information on myotonic muscular dystrophy. I heard nothing in reply. Are you ignorant of the disease or just plain rude?

DEAR READER: A little of both, perhaps. Sorry. Maybe I’m just demented, too. In all honesty, the sheer volume of mail I receive makes it impossible for me to respond to every letter. I cannot be a sole source of information. That is what your primary-care physician is for.

Muscular dystrophy is a group of neurological disorders that are inherited and marked by diffuse muscle weakness that is progressive and — to my knowledge — untreatable, although physical therapy may help some patients. The myotonic form includes drooping eyelids and difficulty speaking.

If you or a family member has muscular dystrophy, the affected person should be under the care of a neurologist, a specialist who can also answer your questions and is familiar with the disease.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Medical Specialists.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.DEAR DR. GOTT:<$> I have a friend who has emphysema and asthma. She was a heavy smoker of non-filtered cigarettes for several years. She has been on four4 litres of oxygen for five years. She uses four different inhalers and takes at least five breathing treatments a day. She’s has been told by her doctor that the only thing left to do is to go into the hospital and be put on a ventilator. What is the usual time span for someone with this?

DEAR REA:<$> Emphysema, destruction of the delicate cells in the lungs that absorb oxygen, is an extremely dangerous ailment. It can result from a variety of lung diseases, including asthma, or be caused by chronic air pollution. Once a patient requires supplement oxygen, the outlook is grim.

The fact that your friend’s doctor suggested the possibility of a respiratory machine indicates that she has terminal lung disease. She needs to assess where she goes from here — and when. I assume she is under the care of a pulmonologist. Such a specialist, who is familiar with her situation, is the logical resource to answer your concerns.