Sharp County record., 1880-12-30
The Trade in Human Hair.

In 1859 and 1850 between 10000 and
| 200. 600 pounds of hair was imported
/ into this country, valued at something
| like $1,000 In 1865 it had in
creased to nearly three times this
amount. Paris sends large portion to
! Russia as well as to America, where a
ready sale is always found. France and
Italy give the best quality of hair. 1t
| is finer in texture, more even IN color
/ and glossy. Its chief value Is IN It's
| length. After it goes on the market 1t
is assorted. which task is attended with
much difficulty. The prices range from
SI5 to $500 per pound, according to
color and length. Short, coarse har IS
much cheaper. Gray and white hair
sells from SlO0 to $500 per pound. One
dealer in this city was once offered as
much as 800 per pound for parcel OF
pure white hair, and this sum he re-
| fused, selling it subsequently for S450.
, The hair is shipped to this country pre-
pared and unprepared. That which is
prepared undergOes process OF wash
! inc, securing and cleansing. all the Oil.
| dirt and other substances being Separa-
ted from it, leaving it perfectly free
from all unhealthy influences. That
which is shipped in a raw or unpre-
pared state is subjected to the same
process after its arrival. 1t is then
ready to be made into switches, curlS
plaits, fronts, wigs. chignOns, and not a
/ small amount is used in the manufacture
of hair ieweIry. The duty on the raw
material is twenty cents per pound, on
| cleaned and drawn hair is thirty cents,
( and on manufactured hair it is forty
cents per pound. On other hair, not
human, it is ten cents per pound. There
are many instances given OF changing
| color.
1t is said that persons have from eX-
cessive grief found their hair changed
from dark-brOwn to almost q perfect
white: others from the same cause IL
the short space Of one week discovered
their hair streaked with gray, giving
| them the appearance, although young,
of being old. This may b. said OF the
famous elocutiOniSt, the late Dr.. Henry
Below. His hair is said to have turned
to a sdvery gray in one night. brought
about by domestic trouble. Other per-
sons hair changes color from extreme
fright.
4 curious case was mentioned Of a
worker in metals. who had wrought in
copper only five months, and whose
hair, which was white, turned to green
color. Chemical analysis showed that
the hair contained a quantity Of acetate
of copper. and it is to this circumstance
that the mans hair owed its beautiful
green color, which was both singular
and remarkable.
The practice of wearing false hair is
many hundred years old. The Greek
and Roman ladies were, in 0lden times,
az active at their toilet for the head as
the fashionable ladies at the present
day. Most of the hair at that time was
obtained from the Germans, and they
in turn from their slaves. POwdering
the hair is not so much in vogue in this
country as it is in Europe. History
tells us that the consumption Of hair
powder BY the ladies Of George n.'s
time was simply enormous. 1t was
calculated that, inasmuch as the mill
tarv force of England and the colonies
was then about 2j0, 900, each man used
a pound Of -four week for powderng
the hair. This would give $500 tons
per annum-an amount that would sus-
tain 10000 persons on bread. Gold and
silver powder was also used. JOsephus
relates that Solomon's hOrse-guards
daily covered their heads with gold dust,
which glittered in the sun, and there
are several instances recorded in the BIZ
BILE of silver powder being used. The
ancient Greeks were very partial to
long hair, considering it very becOm-
inc, while the Egyptians regarded it as
an incumbrance, and had their heads
shaved. They preferred wigs to natural
hair. The aucients, generally speaking,
strangely considered fine head of hair
so desirable that it became almost sacred
with them. They frequently dedicated
it to the gods on important occasions,
such as marriage, victory, or escaping
from any great danger, and the burial
of particular friends.
Hair contains a very small quantity Of
water manganese. Iron and various
salts of lime have been found by the
various methods Of amalgamation. 1t
is owing to this that hair is peculiarly
indestructible. 1t has been found on
mummies more than twenty centuries
old in perfect order and not by any
means rotten.
During the past few years there has
been a gradual decline OF human hair OF
the finer texture. Now there is q elut
in the market OF cheap hair and wnere
at one time the value Of human hair i'm
ported to this country would amount to
$1,000, 900. it does not now exceed ST.
OOJ,0OD. \ large portion Of hair comes
from Paris direct. 1t is obtained in va
riOus WAYS. as before stated. 1t is gen
orally collected by agents, who scour
the country towns and villages as ped
dlers and exchange their goods for an
attractive head of hair. They then sell
it to the larger dealers, while the small
dealers also collect the hair in parcels
and they in turn sell it to the exporters.
White and blonde hair is the most ex-
pensiye, as it is scarce, particularly if
the color of the latter is good. White
hair brings from 3 to 500 an ounce,
the short hair being used for ladies and