The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-05-15
INCONVENIENCE OF HATS.
Coming to Be Quite Generally Rec
ognized In This Country as
Well as In Europe

From an article bearing the above
title, which appears in Cosmos, we
learn that the new fashion of going
without hat is not limited in this
country. According to the writer, 1t
has everything. hygienically. in its
favor, and the arguments against 1t
need only be stated to be refuted, says
the Literary Digest. He says:
The mass Of hair that covers the top
Of the head Ia a feature OF the human
race in both sexes, and appears to be
one Of its most stable physical charac-
teristics Nevertheless, long observa-
ton is unnecessary to prove that this
characteristic Is weakening, and that
the vigor of the hair is decreasing in
man. Now question presents itself:
Is this due to a transformation of the
species or must we attribute the fact
to mans habits This second solution
appears to be correct. which Is con-
soling, since 1t allows US to hope that
the evil may be checked. This loss of
hair that has become more striking
from one generation to another by
heredity, Is due. according to some
scientists, TO the habit OF covering the
head.
This habit must affect the hair in
Juriously in three ways: % BY de-
priving 1t OF the life-giving light of the
sun, OF free ventilation, and Of the
movement Of the hairs by air-currents;
(2) by pressure on the small arteries
OF the scalp, which bring nourishment
to the hair; 80 finally, because all
q 0Yp<
ture-medium for microbes. and facili-
tate their development In fact, the
hat, since 1t prevents the germicidal
action OF the suns rays and the move
ment of the air, and retains on the
head the heat and moisture of the en-
closed aid, offers all the most favorable
conditions for obtaining culture of
micro-organisms. Furthermore it Is
well recognized that the chief causes
OF badness are the microbian aifec-
tons of the scalp, which destroy the
sebaceous glands
We may, then, suppose that 1t is the
custom of covering the head that d.
minishes. little by little, the vigor of
the hair. Although this is not abso-
lutely proved. it is infinitely probable,
and in any case it would cost nothing
to try a change in the present fashion
This change is absolutely desirable, es-
pecially for men for with women. be-
sides the fact that their hats cover
only part OF the hair, they are gener-
ally lighter; the preservation OF the
hair for the species is due to the
women alone, the men counting for
nothing in the matter.
''Tho @ht~
meeting, at the outset. with certain OBJ
)ect1ons: ID To uncover the head
may bring on colds, neuralgia, and
rheumatism. They answer that colds,
etc, are OF microbian origin
and can not come from the. scalp. or
AS for neuralgia and rheumatism. they
are convinced that IL the habit of leav- |
Ing the head uncovered is adopted in |
youth, these troubles will not follow. |
In fact, they say, the uncovered parts |
~ tbs head are not subject TO them |
any more than the covered PARTIES |
perhaps. (3) SO fer as the incontesta- |
Bile danger OF exposing the bare, head |
n the sun Is concerned, there are many |
ways OF avoiding this without smother
ng the scalp. (D The fear that sep |
ic bodies may be deposited on the un- /
covered parts. especially in cities GER
ainly deserves consideration; but care |
n the toilet will enable US to escape
he consequences. (5) Finally. the fear
est the hair should be injured by sun,
wind, or cold. has no serious basis,
dnce unprotected parts Of the head are
covered with vigorous hair"
There are persons who do not know
how to waste their time aIonN and |