Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-07-08
False Hair.

In all our large cities may DE seen u
number of signs, often of large size, bear
ing the inscription Human Hair, " and
suggesting at first sight startling thoughts
of tomahawks and scalping- knives. What
commodities these establishments contain,
and what heavy prices they put upon
them, few ladies, at least, need be told.
But the immense increase that has taken
place in the business of buying and sell
ing human hair within comparatively
recent time Is not so well known.
AT the beginning of the present century,
and for some time aiterward, the use of
false hair" was looked upon with some
contempt, and was considered at least as
discreditablc as the employment Of
rouge for the complexion. But with the
accession of the Empress Eugene to the
throne of France great change quickly
took place in this respect. In that country
human hair, which had been selling for
four francs per pound, soon reached the
price Of eight, and shortly ailerward Of
ten, francs. 1t became more and more
generally worn there, until at last no
woman or girl who made any attempt to
be in the style could endure being without
greater or less quantity of hair which
had grown on the head Of some other per
son. Most of this capillary addition TO
the couture was fastened 10 the back of the
head, and allowed to hang down over the
napc of the neck, called in French chg
non and that was the origin of that now
famous name.
About the year 1865 this style Of deco.
rating the head began 10 spread rapidly
outside of France, and in a very short
time had made its way into almost every
civilized countryin the world. II became
immensely popular wherever twas known,
and even women of the lowest rank IA.
pircd 10 the honor Of possessing chtga0Hs
Of some kind.
The price of human hair rose rapidly
in consequence Of this suddenly increased
demand. In 1866 unprcpared hair was
sold in France for twenty francs per
pound in 1867 for thirty. five francs;
in 1858 for forty-fiye francs; and in 1870
for fifty-hve francs. That which had been
prepared for use brought twice and three
times those amounts.
The demand was, and still is, supplied
from the rural districts Of France, Switzer.
land and Germany, being sometimes cut
from the heads Of dead persons and some,
times sold by the women and girls on whose
heads il grew 10 travelling agents of Paris
tanned In this way comes from the French
provinces Of Bretagne and Auyergne.
When peasant woman dies in those To-
calities her hair Is Immediately cut of by
her atfectionate relatives, not as a memo
rial of the departed, but to be sold for as
much as 1t will bring. But the hair Of
the living is much more valuable as an
article Of commerce than that of the dead
al. lao H.. nf
before named often receive /, 800, and
sometimes as much as 1900, francs for
their heads Of hair Many Of these young
women "save up" their long locks until
they are about 10 be married and then
dispose Of them for money to assist In set.
ting up as housekeepers.
OF late years gray hair has been bring.
ing higher prices than any other kind,
partly on account Of It's greater scarcity,
and partly because 1t II now considered
very elegant and stylish In fashionable
circles.
Cheap substitutes for human hair, com
posed of jute and other vegetable sub.
stances, were for some time manufactured
in vast quantities. But the abuse Of this
practice caused the first check to be given
10 the habit OF wearing additions to the
natural hair; for the unpleasant develop.
ments which year or two since followed
the scientific examination Of some ordina-
ry artificial chigno1ls had the effect Of sud.
denly decreasing the demand for such ar
ticles, and finally of bringing them into
disuse.
Since that time ii has been declared by
skillfuI physicians that the use of addi.
tional HAIR Of any kind Is very apt TO pro-
duce bad effect upon the head Of the
wcarer, and that many severe headaches,
nervous fevers and other painful affections
OF similar character are directly traeea-
bic to the constant weight and heat upon
the head, and strain upon the roots Of the
real hair, which this fashion necessarily
involves 10 a greater or less extent
Hearth and Home.
Mr. Eva InNce of DsWegn has ened