Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-12

naA0meS9s
Is it true that civilization and badness march
side by side, step for STEP and that the man OF
the nineteenth century crosses the bald line, Sc
to speak, at a much younger age than did his
less cultivated and more lesurey ancestor OF
the eighteenth? Several ingenious writer's have
adopted this hypothesis and constructed inter-
esting physiological philosophical theories upon
IT, but n seems to rest yet on an insufficient
statistical basis 1t is possible that Herbert
Spencer may have collected data on the sub
ject-he has about prettymuch everything else
but if so, he has not yet made public the re-
suits of his investigation. Perhaps Colonel Sea
ton, If the matter were put before him ia the
proper light by eminent scientific persons, might
be induced to do something when the time
comes around for taking the next census.
Certainly very few questions come home more
intimately than this TO mems hearths and crani-
ums. The vast majority Of Americans of the
voting sex are either already bald or afraid OF
becoming bald toy and by. Witness the prolific
brood OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and hair-restoratiyes
that swarm in the advertising pages of our news
papers and scramble in merry rivalry over fence
anu dead-Wali, towering cliff and way-Side bowl
Der. Here and there schock- headed, iron
Dristled veteran of the Andrew Jackson and
refer Cartwright type laughs the comm peril to
scofn Here and there, too. a man may be- found
who says that he does not care a copper whether
his mar sticks to his pate or falls or but this
man can safely be set down as either an unver-
aclous braggart or moral mOnstrOsity. 1t may
be doubted whether any normal person ever
reaches that melancholy station in lis earthly
pilgrimage.
"Whpn life, once past its fortieth year,
Aneeis up It's evening hemisphere "
without inward anSieties on the subject of bald
ness. and tentative attempts-futic alas, for
the most part-tO avert it.
We are indebted to Monsieur III. Puiol. the
learned French barber of the New York Sun.
for brochure of unique interest and value
which takes rank at once among the most
illuminating of modern contributions to the
literature of badness. Under the title OF
Figaro i'm New York" Monsieur Puiol has re-
published his letters to our metropolitan cetem-
porary. Plus al essay on the art of taking care
OF the hair EX-hair-dresser to the Jockey Club
OF Paris welding the pen as gracefully as the
curlin@-iron. Monsieur Puiol is every way a
person worthy of attention.
Bald men will get but cold comfort. however,
from his Eages He does, indeed, endeavor to
cheer them up by reminding them that Socrates
Cicero and Caesar We're as bald as billiard balls.
and by such transparent flattery as this
Badness. from my point of view is a mark
OF superiority In my long experience as hair
dresser | have noticed that it is only the men
endowed with su: erior intelligence such as
philosophers. literary men and inventers-in a
word. men who aid the march Of progress with
the products of their brains-who are bald This
Is not the case with the unfortunates deprived
OF reason. |, like everybody else, have re-
marked that idiots and cretins have skulls
abundantiy supplied with capillary tubes.
But he dashes their hopes at one blow by saw
ing that while hair that falls out after a sick
ness Will generally grow in again without any
aid in the nature of tOEics hair that has fallen
out from natural causes never grows i'm again.
He cites DR.. BaZin. formerly chief surgeon of
the ST. Louis hospital in Paris, who told him
years ago that nothing could make the hair
grow when badness had come on gradually
This believe firmly" says the learned bar
ber:-
For, if there was anything of the kind we
would not see so many New York doctors with
heads as completely destitute of hair as the
backs OF turtles l am even persuaded that these
gentlemen would follow the example of these
Greek heroes who, under the leadership of
Jason, made q voyage to Colchis to bring back
the Golden Fleece. Modern Argenauts. the
doctors would consider themselves happy if
they could bring back from such a VOYAGE the
secret OF restoring the human fleece. | don't
think am far from the truth when say that
during the past % years that have practiced
the profession of hair-dresser, have made the
trial upon different bald heads of more than 500
different hair tonics. and am bound to admit
that never saw single head the hair of which
was restored after badness At the end of so
many failures. am completely undeceived as to
the value of all the preparations. and would
not now recommend any one of them.
linen. as though to quench the last glmmer-
ing spark OF hope. ne says to the bald brother
hood. who are investing in tOnics and washes
with such pathetic persistency these terrible
words: You would have just as much success
II You were to try to make the teeth you have
lost grow in again."
To persons not yet bald. but fearful of becom-
ing SO. the learned barber gives few practical
c0unsels. such as these: If your hair is weak
or thin; trim only the ends, don't have your
head shaved. whatever you do; wash your hair
with soap and water almost hot rusing after
ward with fresh water: never use any greasy
preparation on your hair: don't wear your hat
Indoors We commend his advice to the atten-
tiOn of those readers wholh it concerns
As for our bald readers. we can only follow
Monsieur Pujois example and refer them to the
consolation of phiiosopiy.-N Y Sun.