The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-04-15

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Poisonous Hair Dyes, Etc.
| It Is fully time that the press were
attracting more general attention to-
ward the great injury arising from the
use of the various t'Invigoratore, y Re
atorers,n 'sHair Washers etc, that
are becoming 80 popular among the
people. 49,
Scarcely q paper or periodical can we
take up for perusal, scarcely can we
turn our ewes, but we meet the cunning
schemes laid to ingratiate into public
favor these injurious compounds. And
the people, itching to try every new
thing that appears, purchase them,
daub them upon their craniums, and
then recommend them to their friends,
without the slightest investigation or
thought as to the consequences. i
They are, to be sure, without exeep.
ton, warranted perfectly harmless, y :
perfectly safe - perfectly pure" and
"all that sort Of thing which, as might
be expected IN the first place from the
extra pains taken to give this idea, is q
perfect hun,btsg. 1t is well known to
the manufacturers, and all who are ac-
quainted with their ingredients, that
they are neither safe, pure, nor harm
less in any way that they can be used;
and the thousand deltldesi mortals who
are in the daily habit of using them viii
to their sorrow sooner or later find this
to be the truth. Lead in some form is
the principal Ingredient of all of these
preparations. BY their continued ap-
plication to the skin or scalp, an abb
sorption of lead takes place, and its
poisonous effects manifests themselves
under the various forms of lead poison
ing; for it must be known thai lead,
gaining access to the system in this
way, is fully as dangerous, and Is at
tended with fully as disastrous results,
as ntaken in by the usual methods.
Were the penalty OF the introduction
of this metal into the system more
promptly suffered, or its disastrous re-
suits experienced as quickly as with
many of the more active mineral p0i-
sons, its danger as a poison would be
less, but, unhappily, this is not the
case. They act so secretly and insid-
iously that they undermine health,
break down constitutions, and often
directly destroy life without suspicion
existing of their real character.
Thus it is that those who suffer the
effects Of this agent are in the greater
number of instances entirely beyond
cure before the real cause of their ''ill
health" is even suspected. There is no
doubt but that hundreds have gone to
their graves without even their physi-
clan being aware OF the cause of the
destruction that was going on within
them. &Fs 49,,
1t is a serious matter, this introduc-
ton of lead into the human system.
Arsnic, strychnine, Prussic acid are far
more preferable and generous. They
kill outright aud end the matter at
once, q "consummation devoutly wish
ed, by many a poor victim of satur-
nine poisoning. And all of this is
equally true as regards many of the
cosmetics now so universally used by
the feminine sex; they are poisons IN
the rankest form. They are not only
hurtful by obstructing the natural pores
of the skin, stopping up the mouths OF
the excretinp duets, which are designed
by nature to throw off by an iIlsensible
and sensible perspiration the impurities
of the blood, but also presenting 10
the absorbent vessels a poison which is
taken into the system, and penetrates
to every portion of the body" The
effects of these cosmetics are to destroy
the natural texture of the skin, causing
il to become dry and wrinkled, and
imperyious to the oxygen of the air, and
by depriving the blood of this life-giv-
ing principle, producing rapid decay.
Ladies, take our advice, and do not use
them. Keep your skin clean in
healthy condition by the frequent use
of pure. cold water and rough towels,
and no cosmetic will ever be necessary.
Their use removes all impurities from
the skin, and stimulates its delicate net
work, allows the oxygen of the atmos-
phere to come i'm contact with its blood
vessels, and thus supplies all the
needed elements to enhance ana pre-
serve beauty. ns E
We herewith givea few simple but
reliable tests that all who may desire
may detect the presence of lead in any
of these cosmetics or hair washes. No
one who values health and immunity
from pain should neglect to apply them
to any compound recommended for the
purpose of colOring the hair or imrrov-
ing the complexion. a. solution of
iodide of potassium twenty grains to
one ounce of water) added to the wash
will throw down a light yellow precipi-
tate. Sulphide of sodium (Giauber's
salts will Immediately turn it black
or dark, and generally throw down q
precipitate. A solution of sulphuretted
hydrogen will have the same effect
By using these simple and inexpensive
tests, which may be obtained in any
drugstore, and rejecting everything
that il proven to contain lead in some
form, the slow poisoning, which is sure
to follow their constant application,
will readily be avoided.-Dr. c. r.
sJnle, IN Godeys Lady Book.