The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-05-13
BEAUTY BUT SKIN DEEP.
How to Beautity, How to Preserve,
and How to Treat when Dis
eased. the Skin and Scalp.
by Nj. E. JOssELYN, nj. D.. of New York.

I uapplIGSS
delicate and peary complexion is the dearest wish Of
their lives is paramount to all Others. No lady afiict
ed with cutaneous eruptons, loss of hair will de-
ny that to obtain fair skin and luxuriant tresses
she would gladly exchange the designations thatnow
mar her otherwise handsome face hands hair, for
| other diseases of greater severity-even danger
could their existence be concealed from the public
eye. Many an estimable lady's life has been embit
tered by cutaneous affections She imagines that ev-
cry one sees and comments upon her looks. She
avoids society and public places, and endeavors to
hide her misery in seclusion. Here the struggle to
improve her appearance is renewed. No remedy is
TOO repuslye or dangerous to be used Arsenic is de-
Voured in large quantities, mercury is taken inter-
naly and applied externally, until the teeth rattle in
their loosened sockets, and the system groans be-
meath the load Of poisons it is obliged to carry.
II such be the feelings of afflicted with slight
skin biem1shes what must be the condition of those
suffering from salt rheum, letter, Fingworm, penn
phgus, psoriasis, eprosy, ichen, prurigo and scad
head? No pen can fully describe the fortunes they
endure. Death in many cases might be considered
blessing The burning heat Inflammation and itch
ing nearly impe the sufferer to do violence to him.
self in order to end his sufferings have seen pa
uents tear their flesh with their nails until the blood
flowed in streams. Others have told me that they
could cut the flesh from their limbs so great was the
agony they endured
With a view to impart some useful information on
tne construction and preservation of the skin, scalp
and hair, and the proper treatment of them when
diseased, have here condensed to a popular form
such information as is most desired.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SKIN.
The skin is composed of two layers, which may be
separated from each other by the action of blister
The thin portion which is raised up by the blister is
called the scarf skin, the cuticle or the epiderms
that which remains in connection with the body is
the sensitive skin, the cults the derma the true
/ skin. Each has separate duties to perform. The
scarf skin is horny and insensibe, and serves
sheath to protect the sensitive skin under it.
Were the scarf skin taken off we could not bear to
have anything touch us. The derma true skn
and its glands oil tubes etc., the seat of all cuta
neous diseases.
THE OIL AND SWEAT GLANDS.
That the skin may be pliable and healthy it is
Creator has wisely provided by placing in the true
skin small glands and tubes whose office it is to pre-
pare and pour out upon the surface the proper
amount OF oil. On some parts of the body they do
not exist, but are abundant the face nose, ears
I head, eyelids, etc. They produce the wax Of the
ears, and the head they open into the sheath of
the hair and furnish it with natures hair oil
pomade When the skin is healthy these little vessels
are always at work, and constantly responding to the
demands made upon them. Consequently no person
should be afraid to wash thoroughly every day with
soap and water, lest, the Boston Medical Journal
once taught, the skin be injured by having the Oil
moved from it.
! FREQUENT WAsHINGs WITH PURE SOAR
Gree from caustic alkalies) and uke-warm water fol-
lowed by brisk rubbing with coarse towel, will do
more to preserve the healthy action of the oil glands
and tubes upon which depends clear and wholesome
complexion, than all the cosmetics in the world. So
important Is the free and perfect action of the sweat
and fat or oil glands i'll the preservation of the gen.
eral health as well as the special condition of the
skin, that particular attention to them will be re-
warded by increased physical health. They discharge
upon the surface of the body about two and one-haf
pounds of matter per day, and their importance in
the publication of the blood and fluids of the body
great that they closed by an mpervious coating
| Ike rubber or oiled silk. death would soon ensue
| THE GREAT SKIN AND SCALP DISEASES.
But bad as minor forms of skin diseases, they
sink into insignihcance when compared with the
| great skin and scalp diseases with which thousands
are afflicted during their whole lives That the read
er may know more about them, the principal affec-
tons are here named, emitting such are symptoms
! OF constitutional Diseases like measles rash etc
The most important are salt rheum eczema, letter
/ r1ngworm, psoriasis, impedgo, leprosy, hchen.
/ prurigo BARRIERS ITCH Jacksons itch, bakers itch
/ ground itch, sCald head and dandruff.
| Towering above all others in extent in durati11
| in suffering, is
commonly called salt rheum Wilson divides II into
twelve Species and others into many more: but it is
sufficiently clear to the average reader and will be
recognized by its small watery blister about the slit
OF plnhead, wherever seen: Prur1go, impetigo,
and psoriasis but little behind salt rheum in the
suffering they cause Scald head is another obstinate
affection, defying all remedies, destroying the hair
and producing great misery and suffering. The
scalp like the skin, is subject to salt rheum letter
dandruf and other eruptive and scaly diseases
which generally destroy the hair folicles, and pro.
ouce permanent badness.
THE TREATMENT
of diseases of the skin or scalp has been for centu
ries based upon the mistaken theory that thew are
| entirely due to some impurity of the blood No
special attention has ever been directed to the i'm
portant part the sweat and fat glands play in the
! propagation and maintenance of disease
1t is no unjust reflection upon the medical profess
sion to say that its efforts in the of skin dis
eases have been failure. What with mistaken the
cries, poisonous remedies, and blind adherence to
fjNac( afirlfvi
superstition, salt rheln, scad head and psoriasis
flourish and increase upon systems shattered by the
copious use, both internal and external, of mercury
arsenic, zinc and lead
For centuries it has been the popular notion that
diseases of the skin and scalp must be cured if cured
at oil, by purifying the blood.
Admitting that this is partly true, what has been
the method or what the remedies by which it was
sought to be accomplished?
MERCURY AND ARSENIC.
Putting aside the senseless sarsaparilla "dock"
and " dandelion " blood purifiers, and considering
only those remedies that have received the sanction
of physicians, hospitals, and colleges, find that
mercury and arsenic are the only medicinal agents
of to-day, they hundreds of years ago. which
are regarded by the Irregular" as having specific
medical properties for the publication of the BLOOD.
and hence the only remedies adapted to the treatment
OF skin and scalp diseases
THE TRUE THEORY.
But little light is being thrown upon the darkness
that has surrounded the intellect of the past To
few German and French physicians and specialists
we Jwe what true progress we are making at the
present time in the of obstinate affections of the
skin and scalp They teach and prove ~ that dis
eases of the skin and scalp caused by derange
ment of the secreory and excretory tubes and vessels
OF the true skin; and (2 that such diseases afec
! tons are aggravated and maintained by poisonous
fluids containing the virus of scrofua, malaria, or
| contagious disease, which discharged from the
blood and circulating fluids upon the skin through
the sweet and fat glands From these facts they
cessfuly maintain that skin diseases cannot be cured
/ solely by internal remedies, solely by external
remedies, but by judicious of both. These af-
fections not wholly caused by impurities of the
blood and circulating fluids, they due entire
y to diseased condition of the sweat and fat glands
tubes, vessels and cells of the true skim but to pc
culiar and inseparable condition of both. eFor if
/ you treat the to the neglect of the other, no
progress is made; but with attention to both at the
same time, and the of such remedies as / can
here recommend, cure is possible in nearly every
case.
| "wHAT WE WANT,
said distinguished authority the skin, "what
most earnestly desire in order to obstinate skin
and scalp affections three great remedies, with
as many specific properties, namely:
81. An internal remedy possessing cathartic tonic
and Alternative properties which will enable it to
pei through the natural purifiers of the body, viz.
the lungs, liver, kidneys, bowels and skin, the const