The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1884-07-02
INJURIOUS TO THE HAIR.
THE AMERICAN CI.IMATE SAID TO
CAUSE BALDNEss.
Destructive Influence of the weather
ON the Capillary GrOwth-What
Wigs are Made Of-AlI About ~ air.


the alarming fact was generally recog-
nized among those who cater to the de-
mands of fashion in the matter of false
hair, that the growth of the hair was in
jured by the climate of this country.
Eyes" said an extensive importer,
''this weather is snatching us bald
headed just as fast as it knows how,
and hate to think of what will be the
fate of the native American hundred
thousand years hence. The noble red
man, if he has not been exterminated by
that time, will have to skirmish around
pretty lively to get a scalp.
mo, cannot say how it is that the
climate has such an effect on the hair
1t may be that the Anglo-Saxon race is
not yet thoroughly acclimated. At any
rate, American women as a class have
not the luxuriant hair European women
have. Emigrants, too, who arrive with
splendid heads of hair, in from five to
ten years have but few rat tails, figura-
lively speaking, to boast Of. A proof of
the destructive influence of the climate
on the hair is furnished by the increasing
sale of wigs There never was such
demand for wigs as at present. Human
beings are not alone affected in this way.
The sheep that bear the finest grades of
wool are also injuriously affected in this
climate. The wool loses its lustre, and
in time it becomes diminished in guam
tity, so that the animals, after a few
years. residence in America, find their
way into the butchers shop before they
have an opportunity of getting tough
enough for a boarding house table. 1t
is an i'll wind that blows nobody good.
"Where, then, do you get the hair
from that forms the head pieces, switches,
etc., that are the staple of your bust
ness2" asked the reporter.
Europe and China"
"ChinaQ Why, l thought the ecclesi-
astial laws of that country forbade the
Mongolian to part with his hirsute adorn-
ments. The queue there is supposed to
be as sacred as the cat in Egypt or the
monkey in India-or the pig in Gin
cinnati."
"Young man." said the merchant in
hair, 81 will gladly give you any infor-
nation can in relation to my business
but if you persist in firing scientific prob
lens at me shall have to plead another
engagement.
'Well, then to what base uses do you
apply the sacred Chinese pigtail9"
eff by that you mean the Chinese hair,
it is coarse article from which we fab
ricate the cheapest headpieces, switches
etc. Langtry bangs made of Chinese
hair will retail for seventy-five cents and
upward, and Chinese hair switches
realize from two to four dollars. They
are not, however, very substantial, as
the process the hair has to undergo in
order to render it salable makes it
brittle"
''Is there any danger of importing
leprosy or other contagious diseases in
the hair from China2"
g cannot say that there is no danger
to the importer of the raw material, so to
speak; the manufactured article passes
through chemical process before it is
made up that destroys all the germs of
disease. No, there is no danger to the
consumer.
"Where do you get your better quality
of capillary tissue from ~
''From Europe principally. The dark
hair from France and Spain, light brown
and auburn hair from Germany, and all
colors from England The Anglo-Saxon
mixture of races produce crop hetero-
genous in color.
Chow do merchants in Europe get pos
session of the hair 2"
''They have travelling agents who go
from village to village and bargain with
rustic beauties for their tresses. Peasant
maidens, with wealth of hair, are in the
habit of selling it and purchasing with
the proceeds articles of finery so dear to
the female heart. OF course with shorn
heads they have tom-boy appearance
for time, but nature soon supplies the
deficiency"
''Do American girls ever sell their hair
when in need of money with which to
buy fictitious aids to adornment ?"
every seldom. During an experience
of twenty years have not purchased
more than dozen heads of hair direct
from women upon whose heads the hair
has grown. The only portion of this CON
tinent where women sell their hair is in
the Canadian Provence of Quebec.
There the rural population is mostly made
up of French Inhabitants, and the GUS
toms OF old France are strictly observed
by those people. The hair dealer still
plies his trade there. American women
will not sell this element of female beauty.
They must be reduced to abject poverty
before they will barter this inheritance of
nature
Chow much can a woman procure for
a good head of hair2n
The prices vary according to color.
Red hair is worth very little, and dark
brown hair and black are very valuable.
Light auburn is rare commodity. A
good head of auburn or black hair is
worth from $40 to $25. The texture and
quantity regulate the price"
us hair cut from person in the de-
lirium of an infectious fever valuable2"
'Oh, yes; but whenever hair is
brought to us already cut from the head
it is disinfected before anything is done
with it. We have to dye gray and red
hair, but dyed hair is not as valuable as
hair Of natural color"
"What are the prevailing modes in