The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-07-31
Gray Hairs and Badness.

The advent of gray hair is one of
those epochS which we would be very
glad to avoid. All the philosophizing
in the world will not change the color
back to the original. yet this will not
quite reconcile us to this mark of adj
vaucing age. There are other causes,
however, which induce grayness, such
as severe illness, exhaustive brain-work
and hereditary tendency. 1t would
doubtless be better for every one to
view the change with complacency,
and allow nature to take its course,
only giving the general care and treat
ment above indicated; but any rate it
is good thing to avoid patent nos
trums, whiAl are mostly worthless,
and sometimes dangerous. A druggist
can generally compound better re-
storer than any of them. One of the
simplest, and as good as any, is made
of equal parts of French brandy and
olive oil, and of course, is entirely
harmless.
More annoying and quite as difficult
of treatment is badness. This, for
tunately, is far less common among
women than among men. Still, it is
sufficiently among women to make it
matter of interest. When tendency
to falling of the hair is noticed, it is
quite customary to cut the hair short;
but this is as a useless sacrifice, as it
seldom grows to any desirable length
later, cannot be dressed in any pre-
sentable manner, and the falling out
is very rarely checked. Dandruff is
undoubtedly sometimes the cause of
badness, and in this case, of course,
removal of the cause prevents the re-
suit. An unhealthy condition of the
scalp accompanied with undue perspi-
ration, is very general cause, and it
may be noted that persons who per-
spire freely are almost invariably
baldheaded. When this tendency is
noticed, the first effort should be to re-
store the scalp TO a healthy condition.
The use of brush or the fingers, as
previously indicated, will be found of
great value. 1t must be persistent and
continuous, however since a few days
or even i few weeks will produce little
perceptible result. Quinine tonic is
an excellent application, and should be
persisted in when the scalp shows an
unhealthy condition and the hair be-
gins to fall. If there is great dryness
of the hair, an oily lotion is necessity,
but it should never be used in excess
Such an one is furnished by an eminent
medical authority as follows: Tine
ture of cantharides. three ounces; oil
of rosemary, one ounce; bay rum, six
ounces; olive oil, one ounce. If there
are symptoms of grayness, break up
one ounce of rock sulphur, but do not
powder it, and place this in the lotion.
Working under hot artificial light
is cause Of badness, and general de-
bility of the system often manifests
itself through the falling of the hair
almost before it is realized otherwise.
Contagious affections of the scalp are
also more numerous than is suspected,
though men are likely, through barber
shops, to suffer from them.
Many times the brush, properly
used will give the needed vitality and
vigor to the healthy scalp. There are
cases, however, when some application
seems a necessity, either to furnish
nourishment through the scalp to the
hair. to modify its normal condition,
or to change the color. There are
many objections to oils and pomades,
since they not only soil the head and
clog the pores but in the case OF veg
etable oils, give to the hair sickness
and unpleasant odor. One of the SIM
plest applications is quinine wash
made with bay rum 10 which small
quantities of oil of rosemary and can
tharIdes have been added. The amount
of oil to be used may be varied Ut
plpoSurp OT it may no omitted Alto
gether when other tonics or wash are
being used. The effect of this sim
pie application is to strengthen the
growth and darken the color of the
hair. Sometimes in eases of grayness
it will restore the color.-G0od House
Geepil1Q.