Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-08-04
VAIN WOMEN,
Risks That Some Will Take to Gain Ten.
porary Good Looks.

At the inquest upon lady recent,
ly killed by the explosion of a hair
wash with which she was having
her hair dressed an official stated a
curious fact in his evidence He said
that a lady who had been used to
having her hair prepared with the
wash proved to be so dangerous had
since the explosion refused to desist
from the practice, but had required
her hairdresser to keep damp blan-
kets at hand while the operation
was in progress, so that if an explo-
sion did occur the fire might be
readily put out
The incident shows what some
women will dare for beauty. The
lady in question, however, is by no
means SO exceptional an individual
as many folk will be tempted to i'm
agine. Thousands of women are con-
tent to risk their lives or health or
are willing to undergo exquisite tor
lures all for the sake of some tempt
ing protfer of beauty-often delu-
sion-to be gained.
Most doctors number among their
patients women who are suffering
from the effects of arsenic eating.
The arsenic is taken for the purpose
of attaining various results with re-
gard to personal appearance. The
gravest warning of the terrible
physical effects which must in time
ensue are altogether disregarded by
these ladies. Physicians declare that
patients when cured will constantly
recur to this drug, mot SO much
from a craving for the drug" the
physicians assured the writer, as
from haunting fear of a diminu-
ton of charm if the drug is discard
ed
The use of belladonna for the eyes
is, as every one knows, most calcu-
lated to have disastrous effects upon
the sight. Thousands and thousands
of women, however, avail them
selves of it, and very many are also
found who are anxious to undergo a
painful and dangerous operation
upon the eye itself, the object Of
which is to impart graceful curve
to the eyelid. The danger of the
operation consists in the possibility
Of injury being done to the nerves
controlling the action. Of the lids,
causing partial paralysis.
One notorious impostor who got
into the hands of the police some
years back was proved to have had
as one of her patients lady from
whose face she had actually removed
patches of skin, filling the vacant
places with a species of enamel.
The process was too exquisitely pain
full for more than very small por.
ton of the countenance to be treat
ed at a time. The lady submitted tc
the treatment for months and paid
a small fortune to the quack, who
demanded steadily increasing pay.
ments by holding out the threat OF
leaving the job incomplete and the
lady only "half done in more senses
than one.
The enameled countenance =
enameled without the Aaying proc
ess as in the above instances most
ordinarily a wash of torture. Once
enameled, you must be so always or
hideops for the rest of your life, for
the process has disastrous effect
upon the natural complexion. The
rigor of the enameled face is a con-
slant source of anguish and of mus
cular weakness and decay.
The most popular form of torture
connected with large feet is I'M
doubtedly their contraction into
email boots. This is not, however,
enough for some ladies, who desire
to alter the foot itself and to seek
the aid of the quack beautifier, who
will undertake the job by means of
an injurious instrument which, by
screws and levers, brings to bear a
pressure upon the bones to squeeze
them into elegant shape. This in
strument is popular in Paris, where
one of its operators got into trouble
some months ago in consequence of
his having permanently famed a
lady who had placed herself in his
hands. Traveller.