The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-06-27
The Human Hair

Not the less useful because it is orna-
mental. It is bad conductor of heat,
and keeps the head warm in winter and
cold in summer. It wards off the effect
of the sun and we find negroes expo
sing themselves without head-covering
to its burning rays in tropical climates,
without the slightest injury and some
tribes of wild Arabs, who wear neither
tarboosh nor turban, are said to rely
solely on their bushy heads of hair as
protection against sun-stroke. The
mustache is a natural respirator de-
Tending the lungs against the inhalation
of cold and dust. It is protection of
the face and throat against cold, and is
equally in warm climates a safeguard
for those parts against excessive heat.
The mustaches of blacksmiths show by
their color the dust which they stop
ped as a natural respiratOr, and which,
if inhaled, would have been injurious.
The mustache is beneficial to those who
follow the trades of millers, bakers,
masons, to workers in metals, and even
to travellers into Egypt and Africa,
when they are exposed to the burning
sands of the desert. Full boards are
said to be a defense against bronchitis
and soar Threats. 1t is asserted that
the sappers and miners of the French
army, who are noted for the size and
beauty of their boards, enjoy a special
immunity from affections of this ma
ture. The growth of hair has been
recommended to persons liable to take
cold easily. 1t is stated that Walter
Savage Landor was sufferer from sore
throat for many years, and that he lost
the morbid disposition by allowing his
beard to grow, according to the advice
of the surgeon to the grand duke of
Tuscany. The writer adopted the same
course for the very identical reason,
and with fair success. But he Is bound
to state that he has seen individuals
with long flowing boards, whom those
ornaments did not save from attacks of
bronchial and laryngeal disorders. The
curling nature of the hair is attributed
to a large proportion of oily substance,
which prevents the absorption of water.
The effect of dampness in destroying
the curl of the hair is well known, but it
is not so well known that the state of
the hair participates in the state of the
general health. In many instances
strong curly hair becomes straight if
the possessors be out of health, and
the condition of the hair with them is
as great a test as the condition of the
tongue. The state of the hair depends
much on that of the general health. In
perfect health, the hair is full, glossy,
and rich in its hues, in consequence of
the absorption from the blood of nu-
tritive juice, containing its proper pro-
portion of oily and albuminous ele-
ments. In persons out of health, it
may lose its brilliancy of hue, and be-
come lank and straight, from the pres
ence of imperfect juices. In others,
again, there may be total absence of
such nutritive elements, and the hair
constantly looks faded and dead. Gil
mate exercises great influence on the
curliness of the hair, as may be illus
trated in the difference in this respect
between the native of the north and of
the south, the long lanky hair of the
former, as compared with the frizzly
hair of the natives of Africa. Even
Europeans, whose boards were soft and
silken at home, on reaching Africa, found
them to grow temporarily crisp, strong,
and coarse, resembling horse-hair. This