Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-07-08
The Human Hair.

The Human Hair.
The human hair is not the less useful
because it is ornamental. IL is bad
conductor of heat. and keeps the head
warm in winter and cold in summer. 1t
wards oil The effect OF the sun; and we
find negroes exposing themselves with
out head covering to its burning rays in
tropical climates, without the slightest
injury; and some tribes OF wild Arabs.
WHO wear neither tarbooSl nor turban,
ar said to rely wholly on their bushy
he ,ds OF hair rs protection against sun
stoke. The mustache is natural res.
pilttor defending the inhalation OF cold
anil dust. It is protection Of the face
mn throat against cold, and is equally
in warm climates safeguard for those
pa IS against exec ;siYe heat. The mus
Ia hes of blacksmiths show by their
&c or the dust which they stopped as
na ural rcspirator, and which. if inhal-
co would have been injurious. The
" slache is beneficial 10 those who fol-
10 the trades olmilIers, bakers, masons.
10 workers in metals, and even 10 travel
ei into Egypt and Africa, when they are
exposed 20 the burning sands of the de.
Sc I. Full boards are said to be de-
lie Sc against bronchitis and sore throats.
II T., asserted that tue sappers ana miners
OF the French army who are noted for
lh3 size aid beauty ot their boards, en-
10 "a special immunity from affections of
Tn : nature. The growth OF the hair has
been recommended to persons liable to
Ia sc cold easily 1t IS stated that Wal
te Savage Iandor was sufferer from
sore throat Tor many years. and that he
lost the morbid disposition by allow
Ing his beard to grow. according to the
ADVICE OF the surgeon 10 the grand duke
Tuscany. The writer adopted the same
course for the very identical reason, and
w..h tar success. But he is bound to
i te that he has seen individuals with
10 - boards, whom those ornaments did
u,t save from attacks OF bronchial and
laynscM disorders. The curly M.
u o OF the hear is attributed to 4 large
p. .pporIiou ol oily substance, which pre-
vents the absorption of water. Tho ei.
le OF dampness In destroying the curl
oi the hair IS well known. but it is not so
" Il that the state Of the hair particle
pa.es in the state Of the general health.
IL many instances strong curly hair DC.
GENES straight il the posscssOrs DO out OF
health, and the condition OF the hair
with them is as great . test rs the cOndi.
ti,n OF the tongue. The state OF the hair
depends much on that of the general
health. in perfect health, tue hair is
lul glossy, and rich in its hues, in con.
sequence of tho absorption form the
blood OF a nutritivc juice, containing its
proper proportion OF oily and albumin
OTIS elements. In persons out Of health
it may lose its brilliancy of hue, and be-
come lank and staight from the presence
OF imperfect juices. In others, again,
tn re may be a total absence of such nu-
tr,.ive elements, and the hair constantly
10 Ks faded and dead. Climate exercises
o at influence on the curliness OF the
ar, as may be illustrated in the differ
en;e in this respect between the natives
OF the north and of the south, the long
langy hair of the former, rs compared
Ii the lrizzlY hair of the natives Of
4 .ica. Even Europeans, whose boards
re soft and siken at home, on reach.
ii #: Africa, found them to grow temper
al y crisp, strong and coarse, rescm-
bling horse.hair. This effect, which
&C I'D only be aScribed to the extreme
driness OF the climate, ceased on the
travellers returning 10 their own country.
No doubt this is the cause which, operat'
in; through tho usands OF years, has
ch ,nged the negro's hair into = course
wool.-DuJln University Maga.ine.