The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-18

Hobby.
The Best Thing to Do, He Claims, 10 to
Let Nature Have Her Own
Way.
Should the hair be periodically cut9
asked DR.. John v. Shoemaker in paper
read recently before the Pennsylvania State
Medical society. 1t may be that cutting
and shaving may for the time increase the
action of the growth, but it has no perman-
emit effect upon the hair bulb or the hair
sac. and will not in any way add to the life
of the hair.
On the contrary, cutting and shaving will
cause the hair to grow longer for the time
being. but in the end will inevitably shorten
it's term of life by exhausting the nutrltlve
action of the hair forming apparatus. When
the hairs are frequently cut they will usual
l, become coarser, often losing the beauti-
ful gloss Of the fine and delicate hairs; pig
ment will likewise change-brown, for in
stance, becoming chestnut, and black
changing to dark brown. In addition,
the ends Of very many will be split and
ragged, presenting brush like appearance.
If the hairs appear stunted in their
growth upon portions of the scalp or beard.
or gray hairs crop up here and there. the
method of clipping of the ends Of the short
hairs, Of plucking out the ragged. withered
and gray hairs, will allow them to grow
stronger, longer and thicker. :,
Mothers, in rearing their children, should
not cut their hair during the superstltlous
time of full moon in order. to increase iss
length and luxuriance as they bloom into
vomanhood and manhood. This habit OF
cutting the hair Of children brings evil IN
nlace Of GOOD, and is also condemned by the
distinguished worker in this department,
Prof. Kaposi, of Vienna, who states tnat u
is we'll known that the hair OF women VINO
possess luxuriant locks from the time OF
oirlhood never again attain its original
length after having once been out.
Pincus has made the same observation by
freouent experiment, but he adds that there
is a general opinion that frequent cutting
of the hair increases its length; but the
effect is different to that generally supposed.
Thus. upon one occasion he states'that he
cut of circles of hair an inch in diameter
on the heads of healthy men, and from
week to week compared the intensity OF
growth of the shorn place with the rest OF
the hair. The result was surprising 10 tnls
close and careful observer, 80 ne 1ound n
generally the growth became slower after
cutting, and he has never observed an IN
'fa miaht also add that I believe many
beardless faces and bald-heads in middle
and advancing age are often due to constant ia;
young girls and boys seen daily upon our
streets with their closely cropped heads,
and the young men with their cleau.shaven
faces, are, year by year, by this fashion,
having their hair forming apparatus over
strained.
of curling and orimping. the use of bando-
line, powders and all varieties of gum solu-
tions, shary hair-pins, long pointed metal
ornaments and hair-combs, the wearing OF
chignons, false plalts, curls, and trizzes az
t s9e a to CONGESTION aae Likewise protest
against the use of castor oil and the various
mixtures extolled as the best hair tonics,
restoratives, vegetable hair dyes or deplai-
tories, as they are highly injurious instead
Of beneficial, the majority OF hair dyes
being largely e. eao s nas tb nGt
gray hairs, probably the best hair dye that
can be used safely is pyrogallic acid or wal
nut Juice, the hair being first washed with
an alkaline solution o get rid of the grease.
Nitrate of silver is also good and safe hair
dye, but it's application shout DO done bv
one experienced in it's use.
The 1udicious use of these hair dyes will
give the hair above the surface Of the skin
brownsville appearance, the intensity
of the color of which depends upon the
strength of the solution. But hair-dying
for premature grayness should be avoided,
as the diseased condition may be averted
by the proper remedies. Never permit the
hair to be bleaohed for the purpose OF OBJ
tanning the fashionable golden hue, as the
arsenical solution generally used is highly
dangerous; but, if your patients must have
their hair of q golden color, insist upon
their hair dresser using 1.-The peroxide OF
hydrogen, which is less dangerous than the
preparation first mentioned.
Perhaps one of the most pernicious COM
pounds used for the hair at the present day
is that which is sold in the shops for depila-
tory. It is usually mixture of quicklime
and arsenic, and is wrongly used and rec
commended at this time by many physicians
to remove hairy moles and an excessive
growth of hair upon ladies' faces. Its APP
plication excites inflammation of the skin;
and, while it removes the hair from the
surface for a time, it often leaves scar, or
makes the part rough, congested and de-
formed.
In the meantime, the hair will grow after
short period stronger, coarser and changed
in color, which will even more disfgure the
persons countenance. With the present
scientific knowledge of the application of
electrolysls. hairs can be removed from the
face of ladies or children. or in any inn
proper situation, in the most harmless man
ner without using such obnoxious and IN
furious compounds and depilatories.
If the hair becomes altered in texture, or
falls out gradually or suddenly or changes
in color, disease of the hair, either locally
or generally, has set in. and the hair, and
perhaps the constitution. now needs, as in
any other disease, the constant care of the
physician.
A general remedy for this or that hair
disease that may develop will not answer,
as hair diseases, like other affections, have
no one remedy which will overcome vast
ing thinning, or loss of color. Patients
reasoning upon this belief, frequently APP
ply to me for remedy to restore their hair
to its full vieor or give them back its color.
always reply that have no such remedy.
The general health. as we'll ~ the scafr
and hairs, must be examined carefully,
particularly the latter. with the lens and
microscope. All changes must be watched,
and the treatment varied from time to
time according to the indications.