The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-09-19
tAo1s s For BALD HEADS.
A Boston Doctor Tells an English News
paper How to Raise Hair.

A Boston Doctor Tells an English News
paper How to Raise Hair.
A far more common cause of Che
plentiful lack" of hair now so pryva-
lent is bowel and nervous disorders.
Dyspepsia and weak and falling hair go
hand in hand and who will say that
we are not dyspeptic nation? Now,
dyspepsia is due to our modern mode of
living; ergo, one of the great primal
causes of premature badness is civ
ilization. Indeed, we can have no doubt
on this point when we remember that
civilization has also introduced the
'chimncy-pot, probably to aid and
abet.
Very many of the "bleak and barren
brows" we see around us are also due
to dyspepsia. The moral, therefore, is,
Look after your general health. At
the same time, loss of hair is not al
ways caused by loss of health 1t fire.
quently proceeds from purely local
causes, and, as these causes can be
guarded against, perhaps you will allow
me to tell what to do and what not to
do in order, under ordinary circum-
stances, to keep their hair on"
l. Avoid tight-ftting hats and coll
lars, also close-fitting caps unless these
be of some porous material. The two
former prevent due supply of blood
to the parts, hence the hair papilln are
put, as it were, on short commons all
the time the hats and collars are worn.
The caps engender caloric, which sets
up irritation and ultimately that most
stubborn form of dandruff-namely,
pitytiasis Ii. c., branny powder).
Note that all headgear which is not
porous should be ventilated at top and
sides to allow a free current of air.
2. Never sit or stand with the top of
the head near gaslight or lamplight.
The heat thrown out is apt to paralyze
the scalp tissues and dries up the hair
itself.
3. Don't wash the head oftener than
once fortnight, when first rub in the
yoll1 of an egg, and throughly rinse out
with warm water, into which has been
thrown pinch of borax. Dry carefully
and apply a little pure olive oil.
4. Beware of that common practice
dipping the comb in water when ar
ranging the hair. 1t promotes decom-
position and rancidity of the natural
oil, and so leads to ''rotting."
b. If the hair be naturally dry, apply
little olive oil occasionally. If natur-
ally oily, occasionally wash away the
excess of scbaceous secretion by means
of Il lather OF tepid water and soap
bark (Quitlava saponaria).
6. Salt water is most injurious to the
hair, for which reason when sea bath
ing wear an oil cap.
Z. Always treat the scalp as if you
loved it. Take to heart DR.. Godfrey's
dictum that, Every touch affecting so
delicate a texture as the scalp should
be soft and soothing; every application
bland and mild" Don't use stiff
bristled or wire brushes, and in all
cases brush gently. Also always brush
out the hair before attempting to comb
it, and use the comb as little as possible.
s. Have the ends of the hair clipped
once month, if only to prevent them
from splitting. But don't close crop.
am sure, sir, that thousands of your
readers would be benefited by follow
ing the above instructions; and, IN con-
allow me to correct slight
error in your very excellent leader.
You say that sin all countries and in
all ages the loss of hair has exposed the
loser to public derision." This is not
quite correct. Lucian, for example,
tells us that among the Selenites a bald
pate was considered a mark of beauty.
DIR. II. Williams, in London Tele-
graph.