Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-07-27
GAZETTE
Tho Barber among the Ancients.

The term Poreus or toasor, shows that the
profession, which the moderns designate by the
word barber, consisted chiefly in cutting the
hair. for the Greeks, as well as the Romans, had
their hair cut, long before they submitted to the
custom of shaving the beard--a custom derived
from Egypt and the East; which was introduced
among the Greeks at the time Of Alexander's con.
quests. OF course there were persons who cut
their hair, long before BARRIERS were known.
Researches on this point, as frivolous as they
NAV seem, are not useless for the history Ut
n,,ges and arts. The profession of barber
was more important with the Ancients than with
rs. Il was 10 the barber's shop that they made
their morning toilet, because thew had at home
neither comb nor mirror, nor any other article
| Of the dressing case. A man of bon ton, says
Artenidou, always goes to his barber, aud he
must be needy wretch who cuts his own hair.
| Hence these shops were much frequented, espe-
/ cially By news.lnoDgers. A barber IN those
ZINES dressed the hair, shaved the beard, and cut
he nails The rich alone had at their houses par
ncular slaves who performed the functions of
barber; but many, even afiuent, used no mirror
except in the public shops, where they went to
see if their hair was well cut. The BARRIERS, then,
mad three principal occupations. The first was,
| 10 cut the hair. For this they did not use sc's-
sOrs, but several knives Of different sizes, and
degrees Of sharpness 1t may be remarked that
the most elegant cut was termed the cut with
one knife Sometimes they used two knives at
puce, then forming kind of shears. The essen
tial in these differeRt kinds Of cutting was, that
the hair be shorn even. The most famous bar
|bers, as we see by a satire of Horace, went over
he head a second time, clipping the solitary
hairs that had been left longer than the rest.
M II L Al. L.,,.. tl.,.t
The fatterers OF the rich often did this service
fOr their patrons. The BARRIERS also stained the
bair. On this their reputation mainly depended,
And they had numberlees recipes. The sauta-
lion on entering shop was, show shall l cut
hour har?" as there were no less than five differ
emit fashions.
The second occupation Of the barber was to
Shave; and they drieh the face, after the opera
ton, with soft-napped towel, which was spread
over the shoulders.
The third employment Of the barber, was to
pare the finger nails chose Of the feet were at
Tended to at the bath; and this luxury the lowest
|sould enjoy.-Martial asks Of an efeminate man,
who had plasters on his face, aud consequently
had no need Of shaving, "who pares your na'is.''
|-Tibulus also speaks Of a person whose nails
were cut by the skilful hand Of an artist. "There
IS an amusing poem Of Phanias, containing CO.
|mic enumeration OF instruments requisite tor a
barber; in which Is piece of felt, the remains OF
hn old hat, which served to strap the razor, and
which Toup mistoOk for a BARRIERS cap"
4 Ne,r Noss.-We extract the following pa
rasraph from Suffolk paper:-" The Taliaco-
tan operation of restoring the nose was perform
= ed last week at Addenbrooke's Hospital, in this
town, in a manner which, from its singularity,
bad the strong proof which It affords OF the patho-
ogical effect Of union by adhesion. has excited a
great deal OF interest. The operator was Mr.
Oakes. one Of the surgeons Of that excellent in
sututun. In ordinary cases the ntegument re-
qured is supplied FROM the forehead by turning
!, down without detaehing it; but in the present
Instance, the forehead being IN an unsOund state,
the portion required was taken from the heshy
part Of the upper arm, from which, in the first
stage OF the process it was not detached, but on.
" raised from the surrounding parts. and the arm
confined to the head by peculiar and ingenious
contrivance, until the requisite adhesion and cir
cuation had taken place in the supplemental nose.
The operation was performed on Tuesday last,
IN the presence of many medical gentlemen, and
Oh Saturday the union, with the face appearing
to be conpete, the arm was released. Both parts
are guins on we'll, and from the skill displayed,
this extraordinary operation is likely to afford an
other proof Of the successful application OF medi-
cal science in the present day."
We believe this account can only be confirm
ed IN part; for upon examining the face on Sa-
'urday it was found that notwithstanding great
part Of the skin Of the arm had become firmly
united TO the face, il was still most desirable that
the juxta position Of the two parts should CONT
nue. uudisturbed for day or two longer, until a
Tree circulation should be established between
'hem: this, however was strongly resisted by
The patient, who declared that if the separation
were not instantly made he would accomplish 1t
by main force; the operator, therefore. to make
sure Of that portion Of skin which had been
gained, was compelled to proceed to the second
part of the operation, which, as was expected,
had not succeeded as well as the first part. But
The general result Of this case is so Tar sasfacto-
ry as to show that had the poor fellow been reso'
ute enough to endure his confinement little
ouser, success would most probably have
0eel complete. Previously to the performance
this operation the idea was suggested to sup
ply the detective part from the arm Of another
person laboring under the same misfortune, botf
parties agreeing to be thus Siamesed for thei'
mutual advantage; it was abandoned, how ever