The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-02-20
CARE OF THE HAIR.
WHY WE ARE LIKELY TO BECOME
A NATION OF BALD HEADS.

An Erroneous View That Prevails-The
Bad Practice of Continually washing
the Head-Nature's Hair OiI-Adviee t"
Young People
No careful observer fail, to notice, As he
| looks over assemblies OF men past ~ years OK
age, that a very large proportion IS baid or
in state Of partial badness. which indicates
the speedy loss Of the hrSute appendage Ine
percentage Of men Of all ages VINO snow
signs Of baldness has been put at " per
cent, and by some observers as high rs ~
per cent From careful observations III
| churches theatres, lecture rooms ana politl-
| cal assemblies we are satisfied that these estl-
mates are too high. and that - or "a per
cent Is a more exact estlir.4.~-
This exhibit is alarming, as 1t indicates
| that the time Is near when we shall be ma
ton Of bald heads, and that alopecia as .
disease will afiict the youth in our schools, as
through heredty physical detormities and
illnesses are multiplied and extended 70 an
enormous extent.
SECURING THE SCALP
What is the cause Of this early loss Of hairi
| Ii is not due to the hats or caps We wear. not
to the clipping of the hair close. not 10 living
in hot rooms; it is not due to the forms Of
foods we consume but, in our view, II -
largely due to modern methods Of treat nent
If the hair and scalp The erroneous view
prevails that the skin which holds the hair
| follicles and the delicate secretory organs Of
the scalp must be kept as clean" 50 to
speak. as the face or hands; consequently
young men patronize barbe'5 or hardresSeIs,
and once OF twice week they have what IL
called u shampoo" operation performed, and
| this consists Of u thorough securing OF tho
hair and scalp with dilute ammonia water
and soap, so that heavy father IS pro
duced. and the glandular secretionS, which
are tue natural protection Of the hair, aud
promotive Of its growth, are saponified and
removed No act could be more directly de
structive Of healthy growth of hair than
this and no one i more common
The practice OF frequently washing tho
head in warm OF cold water at home with or
without the adjuncts Of soap, alcohol. am
mona or perfumery is deleteTious and pro-
motive Of early loss Of the hair. Mcn IL
active indoor busincs5-clerlSs, bankers shop
| keepers IN cites-arc continually washing tho
head. Many do this night and morning uu-
der the false notion that it IS necessary TO
cleanliness, and promotive Of d vigorous
growth OF hair, and when alarmed a- IFS
rapid disappearance in early life they are az
a loss to understand the reason The secrc-
ton Of wax in the ear passages Is natures
method Of protecting the delicate machinery
upon which hearing depends. 1t closes tho
organ TO the entrance Of Insects and dust;
and fortunately the secretion is, 10 a con-
siderable extent. placed beyond easy inter-
ference, and thus the sence Ok hearing is pro-
tected from injurious "washOuts.
NATURES HAIR OIL
The waxy secretion which Is poured out
from the glandular organs which are found
IN connection with the follicles Of the hair
Is natures product, and is designed to pre-
serve and protect the wonderful and beautiful
head covering II We persist in removing It
altogether we must march with the bald pates
before the frosts Of age come along TO change
its color Woman do not shampoo on wash
the hair as often as the other sex and cOnse-
quently they are In large degree exempt
from badness IN middle lie. IL Is true, how
ever that many women IN cities make fire.
quent visits to the hairdressers. aud subject
their tresses to the securing process. II this
becomes common II will not bc long before
badness will overtake the young mothers as
well as the fathers, and the time viii be
fastened when children even will have no
hair to destroy with ammonia or other caUstic
cosmetics.
The advice we have to offer to the young
men and maidens is. let your hair alone keep
at safe distance FROM hoirdressiug rooms
and drug shops where arc sold oils, alkaline
substances, alcoholic mixtures, etc, for use
upon the hair They are all pernIcious, and
| will do you harm. The head AMI hair may
be washed occasionally with soft, tcpid water,
without soap Of any kind A5 a rue. tine
only appliances needed IN the care Of the hair
are good combs and brushes. ami they shou.i
not b. used harshly 80 as to wound the -calp.
Avoid all electric and wire made lrll,hos.
No electricity can be stored IN a hair brush;
il 1t could be, it Is not needed The uair = a
beautiful gift Of nature, and II must not DO
destroyed Popular Science News.