The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1904-09-05
HATS AND THE HAIR
is HEAOGEAR RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
INCREASE OF eALONEss1

a
with n word on the cause of cold.
and All Forms of Catarrh.
There is considerable evidence
says Nature, that the ylgor OF tho
hair on the head OF man. especially II
the male sex, is declining. The com.
plexlty Of the conditions Of civilized
life renders It impossible to prove tina,
this is due to the cessation OF natural
SCI" .." aud the inability OF sexual Sc
~ 10 decline, but II is high.
/ > probn0. that his is the case. The
'r' .rt question Is this Is a
| declAs Ia ne growth Of hair part of a
general degeneration OF mans auces.
tral pelage or is It due to some factor
introduced by man himseltg II is de.
/ clared by the reformers who advocate
/ the Abandonment Of all head covering
/ that the wearing Of headgear is re-
/ spOnsible for the increase OF prema.
| ture badness Hitherto the discussion
| Of the question has consisted OF little
more than individual opinions and ex
parte statements, and IL is doubtful IL
evidence can prove or dlsprove the doe
D
Is, from the nature OF the case, out OF
the question because Of the length OF
time required aud the general complex.
ity OF the problem. II would seem that
the nearest approach to solution
must rest on analogies derived from
other characters OF man himself and
from the lower animals. The study Of
adaptive notifications dhe 'modifica.
tons Of Lloyd Morgan and the onto
genie variations of OSBORN shows that
they thrive when exposed to the natu.
ral conditions among which they arose
50 long as these do not become ex-
Cessive
The wearing OF coverings for the
head affects the hair which IL covered
In three wHys-the natural forces of
sunlight, free ventilation and move.
ment from wind are prevented, the
arteries which supply the skin of the
scalp and nourish the hair follicles are
compressed and nutrition thereby di.
minished, and the henddress affords a
culture ground for micro organisms.
being also itself impregnated with
them. The absence for the time being
Of the germlcidal effect Of the suns
rays and of movement OF air and the
warmth and moisture Of the contained
air are just those conditions which
would be chosen for the culture of
those low vegetable organisms. Very
much OF the premature badness of
men IL due 70 dandrun (Scborrhocn sic.
ca capillitiD, a disorder of the seba-
ceous glands characterized by excessive
secretion Of scbum and It's accumuia-
tiOn in Crusts with an admixture of
epithellal debris, which leads to de
structiOn OF the hair bulbs. and this
disease Is essentially microbe in origin
From these various points of view it
seems To be indicated that the wearing
Of coverings for the head slowly dimin- .
lshcs the vigOr OF the hair. II this
theoretical side OF the matter cannot
be demonstrated, but Is only extremely
probable, the practical outcome Of it il
no less beset with difficulties. \
change Of custom. IL desirable mt all.
Is less called for in the case of women
than Of men. for In the former the
hendgenr is mostly of light texture
and covers a very small portion OF the
verteA, at any rate in modern times,
and "A much larger surface is left eX-
posed 10 sunlight and air than in the
case Of men. In addition TO this fact Y
II IL 20 be remembered that the evi-
dcncc for decline in the growth of hair
Is much less In women than In men.
Those whom the practical matter
chiefly concerns are children Of both
sexes, young adults and all male
adults, and to these the reformers
speak from sound physiological basis.
Whether or not their advice will be
taken or ignored as counsel OF per.
fection remains to be seen.
Certain objections TO II may be an.
ticipated and removed First. 1t will
be declared to produce colds II is
most unfortunate that this name is
given 10 what modern medicine calls
cntarrh' The belief that 'colds' are
produced by exposure TO drafts or cold
winds is dying hard and Is fortified
by the old name so long applied TO ,
them, but II IL 10 stultlfy the great
.eachings OF bacteriology 10 Invoke
some casual draft as the cause OF dis.
'rders of which nasal catarrh is a
ype. This danger may bc entirely d
lisrcgardcd. II would indeed be for n
he benefit Of the public in more ways
han one If they became imbued with
he knowledge that pathogcnlc bacteria
II some undetermined species are the d
ilicicut cause OF an catarrhs. Second q
y, II may hc feared that nnammutory q
such as ucuritis or rhcu. b
natism In the head, would arise from q
the head This Is highly inn. =,
robahc considering how large % sur. n
ace OF the head is always uncovered n
nd that there Is no greater protection III
rom hair In the parts uncovered than
here is on the verteN Thirdly. there
undoubtedly some danger even I'm
'mperatc climates, from exposure Of -