Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-07-12

Eve first dOnned her hg-leaf apron down TO
the present day, it has been one of the
chief ambitions of woman-kind in all ages
and countries to have a good complexion,
and in striving to secure that end they have
entirely defeated it by the use of cosmetics,
all Of which without exception are invari-
ably injurious to the skin and general
health. a medical friend of mine, dis
tinguished physician of Western city,
having occasion to deliver a lecture to
class of ladies on how to have a beautiful
complexion without the use OF cosmetics,
addressed letter Of inquiry with regard
to the proper care of the skin to four of the
worlds most distinguished specialists in
dermatology. Desiring to give all women
the benefit of their replies, ! have per-
suaded my friend TO permit me to publish
them here.
GEoFFRET WILLIsToN CHRISTINE.
DIR. REYNOLDS VIEWS.
DR.. Henry j. Reynolds, professor of der
matology in the college OF physicians and
surgeons, Chicago, is widely known at
home and abroad as most expert dermatol-
ogist. He writes as follows:
1913 STATE STREET, CHICAGO, June Z, 1891.
Dear Doctor.
Ladies desiring always to have good
complexion should constantly bear in mind
that the complexion and general character
OF the skin Is only, as rule, the outward
index of the condition Of the system in gen
eral, and is therefore good or bad according
as the system is III good or bad condition.
Consequently the hygiene or care of the
skin and complexion implies principally the
observance Of all the laws and conditions
that are conducive to the best possible state
of the general health. In this connection,
however, certain things may be mentioned
as being especially conducive to this end.
l. The surroundings and environments
No =11.E . -s-i1l n, nd n trnnpnit
easy, happy, satisfied disposition.
.. Temperance or moderation must be OBJ
served in all things, as in eating, drinking,
exercise, etc. There is perhaps more in
discretion in the matter of eating than in
anything else Only such good, plain, sub
stant;al food, in moderate quantities, with
as little of sweets and fats as will favor the
most perfect digestion, assimilation and
elimination, should be taken. Observance
Of this point means the proper noUrishment
or nutrition of the skin. In regard TO eX-
ercise, 1t IS better to have too little than
too much, but as a rule sufficient exercise
should b. taken to insure healthy action
OF the various organs of the system. In
the matter of drinking, moderate amounts
of tea, coffee and various malt and spirit
uOuS liquors may do no harm, but none of
them do any good. The ingeStion ofsliquidS
is essential, but the palmer the better.
3. To healthy skin and beautiful com
pleXlOn proper amount OF sleep Is abSO-
lUtely essential Everybody-up to middle
life at least-should have from seven to
nine hours sleep out of the twenty-four.
There is no time when the skin is SO clear
and smooth, face so plump, and eyes SO
bright as after good nights long, reStful
sleep. This is essential and should en-
brace the early hours of night, retiring not
later than from . to 1880 O'Clock, according
to age, ahd should, of course, be in health
full apartments.
4 The air we breathe, from which the
blood receives its oxygen, must be pure.
1t is impossible to have good
skin and breathe an atmos-
phere tainted with smoke, SCOT, sewer
gas and other impurities, as is the case in
most large and crowded cities. In certain
portions of the country, where people
breathe an atmosphere tainted with ma
laria, the skin will sooner or later show the
consequences by becoming muddy or
Sallow.
Cleanliness, of course, is Of the utmost i'm
portance. The skin cannot be healthy and
therefore cannot be beautiful unless it is
kept clean. As to remedies to correct IN
favorable conditions, and TO maintain health
full ones, this comes properly under the head
Of therapeutics and treatment other than
hygiene, but rs il is human to err, natures
laws will be violated by everyone at times,
and simple remedies to correct the coHse-
quenceS may always be in order Independent
of the physician, and it may not be amiss 10
mention some such ones. Speaking in a
general way, to improve the complexion no
absolute rule can be laid down, but as the
faint is usually acquired through the syS-
TEN, so it must be thrown of by or through
the system. AS q rule, a muddy or Sallow
skin, which is due to malaria sewer gas in
large cities, etc, may be corrected by long
continued course Of quinine in moderate
In 90 llpIK-ay-a,- fho-a ic i,,
addition to the deleterious influence of i'm
pure air, defective elimination of the
waste products OF the system. This defec-
tive elimination is due TO constipation and a
lack of healthful activity in other organs,
such as the sweat glands, Kidneys, liver
etc, so that the various remedies which
tend to produce elimination are usually al
SO indicated.
Simple medicines of 4 laxative tendency,
such as EPSON salts, Hunyadi water,
compound licoriCe powder, etc, taken once
or twice each day in quantities sufficient to
prevent all possibility of constipation and
keep the great wastepipes of the system
the bowels-slightly loose, are nearly al
ways indicated. A glass Of hot water taken
before each meal has tendency TO render
the skin soft, plump and smooth, and, at
the same time, favor q clearer color by in
ducing elimination through the sweat
glands and kidneys OF particles deposited
in the skin and floating in the circulation,
and whose tendency is TO give the skin an
unhealthy and unpleasant tint. This pro
duction or fayoring of elimination Is one OF
many ways in which hot water, taken in
ternally, acts with highly beneficial effect
upon the system. 1t may be said to indi-
tectly benefit the complexion, not only by
its tendency to promote elimination, but
also by its influence upon the digestive Or
cans which often seems most happy, and
ANYTHING that tends to improve digestion or
the general health in any way must also
teudsb improve the complexion.
saFn severe cases of bad complexionialso,
the condition may be much mora rapidly |
and surely corrected by certain local appli- |
cations, which, however, should never be
used except under the personal direction
and advice of a thoroughly competent and |
skillful physician. | am, very sincerely
yours, HENRY D. REYNOLDS.
DR. HENRY W. sTELLwAGoN DISCUSSES BATH
ING AND SOAP.
Dr. Henry W. Stellwagon, professor OF |
dermatology in the university of Pennsyl- |
vania, is specialist whose utterances |
upon everything pertaining to the SKIN
command the highest respect and most |
profound attention among his professional |
brethren both in this country and Europe.
He writes as follows:
1411 SPRUCE STREET, ! |
PHILADELPHIA. June z, lS9l- |
DEAR DoCToR-The condition of the skin |
and us complexion depends TO great eX-
tent upon The way we live. If lady goes |
to bed at 2 O'Clock in the morning and eats |
late suppers, the system is affected and |
diseased SKIN IS the result. Those who de- |
SsJe good complexions should be careful OF |
'thelr food and eat only that which is not |
prejudicial to the action and functions of |
the component parts OF the skin. SoDs~
people cannot eat shell fish without Undue |