The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-19
SWITCHES AND FALSE FRONTS.
How Human Hair IL Prepared in Paris
for Export and Homo Use.

now human HAIR Is Prepared IN Paris
for Export and Homo Use.
From an industrial and artistic point
of view, says the AnnaleS Industrielles,
Paris is the center of the fine manu-
facture of prepared human hair. Of
course. the reference here is TO woman's
hair, for mans hair is worthless for
any industrial purpose. Aside from
. the houses that manufacture exclusive
~ for the export trade, the city num-
bers about two thousand hairdressers
and five thousand workmen, about half
of whom are engaged in tho manufac-
ture properly so called. The source of
supply of the hair may be divided into
three categories. The hair of the first
category is furnished by foreign coun-
tries, India and China being the
largest suppliers- This hair is exslu-
sively black and gray, and comes in
boxes, carefully packed In addition
to these countries, Italy, Spain, Ger
many aud Russia supply small quanti-
ties The hair from India and China
undergoes quite a lengthy preparation.
1t is first matched, sorted and combed,
and then immersed In a solution of
soft soap and carbonate of soda, in
order to scour it. Upon coming from
this bath it is united root end to root
end and formed into locks that are tied
near the roots. 1t yet remains to
render the hair thin and flexible. To
this effect ii Is first placed in earthen
pans filed with chlorureted water and
water mixed with hydroehloric acid,
which renders it thin and deeolorizes
it. Then il is immersed in a solution
of soft soap and chlorate of potash, IL
order to render it less brittle. Final
", definite color and shade are given
it.
A light or blonde shade is obtained
with oxygenated water or saturated
solution OF carbonate of potash. To
dye II black 1t is boiled for u few hours
in bath prepared with decoction of
nutgalls or Campeachy wood, in which
sulphate of iron is dissolved and into
which a little sumac IS put, in order 70
give it luster and remove the blush
tint peculiar To the hair OF the dead.
Finally. it is bleached by immersing it
in several baths of oxygenated water
10 which a few drops Of ammonia have
been added. Thus prepared, the
Chinese or Hindoo hair Is sold TO the
hair dressers, who work il 20 their
fancy, ma afterward sell ii at more or
less moderate prices. The finest hair.
forming the second category, is that Of
France, and comprises a variety of
shades exceeding hundred. The most
beautiful is furnished by LimouSin,
brittany, Normandy and Beauce. Some
lots are derived from young ladies
boarding schools and from converts
All this Is collected by travelling men
called cutters. who make their circuit
toward spring, ard visit the villages TO
gather their crop. In some localities
of Brittany and Auvergne. on certain
market days. the damsels who desire to
sell their head Of hair get up on cask,
undo their hair and allow it 10 fall
over their shoulders. An auction soon
begins, and every lot, As soon as cut. Is
delivered II the highest bidder for spot
cash. This product does not pass into
the bath. but Is simply combed and
then secured with buckwheat -four
Finally. the third category comprises
hair (which. II must be confessed, IS
classed among the most eSteemeIil de-
rived from the sorting Of comblngs col
lected by rag-picI1erS, who stuff il into
bags just as they find il. soiled by dust.
felted 10y water. and adhering 10 the
sweepings Of houses, and sell 1t to
small manufacturers, who undertake
10 utilize il