The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-03-25
THE STANDARD.
from the science Of HEALTH
Human Hair: Dead and Alive.

The Sanitarian gives the the following
interesting information on this subject
under the title of
THE cHIGNoN-A NEW FIELD FOR THE STUDY
OF NATURAL HISTORY.
Being called recently to see one of his
best patients. a matronly lady of about
fifty Summers, she greeted him-"Doc-
tor want you to give me something for
my head; it feels Sc | could almost tear
it to pieces and it is all breaking out in
sores" Examination revealed disease of
the hair follicles, and high degree OF ir-
ritation by the excessive use OF the comb
and brush to allay the itching. The nu-
triton of many of the hairs was evident
ly destroyed, and these dead hairs added
to the mischief Attention was next di-
rected to the manner of dressing the
hair-with what? Was the scalp kept
too warm2
Nothing but soap and water, and oc-
casionally little bay rum to cool my
head, and l wear only these light rats
to keep my hair up, for you see it's get
ting very thin
Here was suggestion, for the doctor
had not long since read in the British
Medical Journal of certain investigations
by DR.. Lindeman, where he found some
false tresses and chignons richly stocked
with gregarinide. So, smuggling off
portion of rat Cest he should shock his
patient by asking for the loan of it), he
prescribed a placebo, and returned home
to complete his diagnosis. On submit
ting his chignon fragment to the light of
his microscope, he discovered numerous
little .nodes-or nests, as they turned out
to be-agglutinated to the hairs of the
cnignon for support and nourishment,
lor1
in various degrees of maturity, some
swollen and just ready to burst, as it
were under the genial warmth Of the
scalp, and each capable of establishing
colony of not less than fifty psorosperms
exceedingly small spherical animals, so
light as to be waited by the air-and ad-
hesiVe to any congenial substance for nu-
triment.
The patient was judiciously advised
appropriate remedies, not the least of
which was the discontinuance of the
chignon. and she ere long recovered.
NJ Lindeman tells US that when these
little creatures mature, they are easily
shaken from their resting places; and
floating in the air, liable to penetrate in
to the interior of the human organism,
reach the circulatorv apparatus, and pro-
duce various maladies-cardiac affections
especially valvular disease of the heart,
Brights disease, pulmonary affections,
etc. He calculates that in a ballroom
containing fifty ladies, forty-fve millions
of psorosperms are set free; and he con-
cludes that it is necessary to abolish
false hair, which often proceeds from un-
clean persons.
1t is characteristic of gregarinide and
other similar organisms to remain dor
mant for indefinite periods in their early
@4 L. I, .
were, congenial circumstances for speedy
maturity and multiplication; and they
are usually to be found on. and among
dead animal matter, such as the CHG
non. Hair and all other animal sub
stances are subject to a process of decay
which is usually accelerated by warmth.
And it is this condition, too, which pro
notes the speedy maturity of these al
ways wakeful little scavengers. While
the process of decay in the chignon is
slow, alike slow their growth, yet fast
enough to take Up and reorganizei the
decaying matter. But this, no longer
left TO the ordinary course of slow, and
almost incomprehensible, change, being
thrust into hot-bed, decomposition il
fastened, with a corresponding degree Of
nourishment for the gregarinid@, and
their rapid growth and multiplication tC
devour the proceeds of decay, is one o
the benign providences of their nature
Under such circumstances they also fine
refuge andabundant nourishment in the
hair follicles, almost ad in1fnitua, and tn,
timely warning OF an itching and tendel
scalp is, after all, only as the watchfu
sentinel on the threshold of greater dan
gers.
Ladies, ladies Why not be sensible
and leave off these unciean, disease-gen
Grating mops, and trust to cleanliness
purity, and sweetness for attractions
We know what severe mistress foolisl
Fashion is, and we know how hard it il
to break away from the rule of Mrs
Grundy-but are you not human beings
And are you indeed silly slaves? TheI
hug your clanking chains; pile on th,
clippings of corpses. and, jackdaw like
try to shine in borrowed plumesl A da,
of reckoning is near. God is no
Knocked.