The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-15
YE BALL-HEADED MEN
SHOULD HAVE NO FEAR, FOR you
WILL LIVE OUT YOUR DAYS.
Tho Theory That Lack OF Hair 10 . Sign
of Premature Death IL Here Exploded.
Expert Testimony on the Subject.

|
rocms OF The Times-where. by he way
the members Of the staff never get sick
owing to the lack Of time-and expressed
theory that would have startled every
been fortunately endowed with full
supply Of capillary substance.
The theory In nutshell was that a
man who early In life is deprived Of that
useful. ornamental and altogether fas-
cinating privilege-dallying with the deli
cate filaments on the surface Of his
| cranum--will probably shuttle off this
| mortal COLI some days previous 10 him
who is not similarly afflicted.
AS soon as this statement became public
| IL produced 4 magic effect upon the young
| men about town. Several OF them at once
| abandoned the use OF stiff hats; others
availed themselves Of soft brushes, while
| quite a number whose days were num-
| bered. according to the theory. imme-
diately adopted the habltual use OF lemon
| juice, boraX. ammonia and variety or
blondnes too numerous TO mention.
This, OF course. set me to thinking. /
! thought and thought, and in the course OF
my meditatons ! scratched my heal until
1t looked as If |. too. would join the bald
headed fraternity.
finally called on Dr. Charles II. Chalk
ley. whom / found very busy and not dis
posed to talk. He changed his mind,
however. when my subject was an
nounced, and his opposition to the theory
was soon apparent.
II see no reasonable ground TO credit
the theory" said the Doctor, settling
himself in his chair. Badness is fire.
quenty handed down from generation to
generation, and often arises from failure
TO take proper exercise. from close con-
fnement within doors and from general
negligence I'm observing hygienic precau-
lions. To demonstrate the emptiness OF
the theory / can cite n number of in
stances where the contrary holds good.
Some of the most active men in Rich
mond are totally void of hair. Many OF
them were born bald. and the "ude OF
time" has done nothing by way of reme-
dying the matter. Take, for example,
Mr.. George u. Peasants. lie is quite an
old man, and yet he is probably one OF The
most energetic men IN the city. l could
mention hundreds Of cases to explode
the theory, II / only had time. Why,
when one thinks Of my venerable friend,
Coroner Taylor. that settles the question
There is absolutely nothing between the
dome of his head and the canopy Of
heaven, and II won't be very long before
he will wake ION the morn OF his hun
dredth year" But there is no question
in my mind but that he is good for al |
least another hundred. No, no, my |
friend, / can't agree with my colleague, |
whoever he may be-the theory will not |
hold water"
DR.. Chalkley's views we're Of a most |
gratifying nature to me, and the filaments |
which had begun 10 wilt when / first
heard the theory at once took courage and |
assumed a porcupine-like APP
pearance.
The next physician I visited was de-
cidedly averse to conversng on the sub
ject being bald himself. and consequently
not I'm a position to give information on
the subject.
1 regretted that my old friend. Profess
sOr b. Puryear, was not member OF the
medical fraternity His head is totally
from the chill December
and while crawling up rapidly
upon his three score and ten, there Is lit
lie doubt that for several decades yet he
will exercise that paternal care over the
1omesick rat" for which he has long |
been well known.
The cordial, kindly, hoary-bearded coun-
enance Of Coroner Taylor greeted me
IS | invaded his office. II there is any
nan upon this little ball who is thor
,ughly conversant with all the details
# a flament's tubular parts and bulb
JUS roots, my venerable friend, Coroner
Taylor. ought to know.
| found him surrounded by a miscella
leous variety Of test tubes. alcohol lamps
nd chemical substances of every descrip-
ion. A formidable collection of scien-
ifc journals were scattered about in
haOtic confusion, and a number OF APP
liances, such as Marshes test apparatus.
ave the whole an unusually serious APP
earance. This, however, did not scare
ne off, for did not think an inquest was
ecessary in the case of a fellow who ex-
ired for lack Of hair, and l stated my
Mission in brief language.
Dr. Taylor is quite an old gentleman,
s everybody knows. ana Is blessed with
lost accommodating spirit. and a real de-
ire to assist a young scientist in the in
estigatlon of obstruse problems. AS
BON as | stated my business beam OF
abstraction shone from the old gentle
ANS eye. and he forthwith prepared TO
llighten me. '
You have been anticipated on this sub =
ct by Thomas Edison, the famous cleo
ician, said the eminent coroner.
1t would be difficult 10 appreciate my
eling Of self-importance at having my ! /,
lme so closely associated with that OF
dison's. TO say that felt series of
cctric shocks b. reason Of the close \
intact would hardly do justice to the
tuation.
Edison is n great man in his line, but I
was by no means authority on the
pillary subject. continued DR.. Taylor
le New York Sun answered him ed-o-
ally, and tore his calculations into
reds. 1t is a known fact that women
rely grow bald but | have never seen ?,
reasonable explanation of the phenomc- II
N. a
lust here I ventured 10 remark that
ssibly 1t was due to the fact that r.,
,men wore lighter hats. took more pains n
arranging their hair, and various other
uses, but the Coroner could see no |
light in these arguments.
I Darwin's theOry-that man is but the --
cher order Of hairy animals. from which
is escended-resumed the Doctor, is
rect. there would seem TO be something
the idea that badness Is an evidence OF
'ntal culture. There is a tendency IN
IN to shed his hair, and an abundance
hair on the body is nothing like so no.
cable in human beings ar large as II
s in years gone by. Many have been
Dued with the idea that lack OF hair Is
evidence OF unusual mental activity.
10 not believe in the theory l have
own too many instances where the OPP
lite was true, and. from actual obse--
ion, the rule will not hold good. Pos
ly this theory was gotten from the
riptural account Of Samson, whose
sngth lay in his capillary substance.
r. Taylor then went into the
Ject more specifically, explained
position with some very pow
III ARGUMENTS and i'm manu- ~ =