The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-28
X.RAYS TO CURE GRAY HAIR
SUCCESS IN THE TREATMENT RE-
PORTED ~ PARIS.

Scientists say THAT aldness and Loss -
Color m TRken Before the Disease Has
Mun IT'S Course May ne Overcome
How the Treatment n Administered.
PARIS. July i6.-Much interest has been
aroused here recently In the reported cures
Of badness and the restoration OF natura
color to gray hair by use Of the X-ray.
The scientists who have been working off
the problem do not say that every woman
whose hair is gray and every man whose
head In bald can eventually possess q fine
head Of hair, but they do say that In many
cases this result can be effected and that 10
all cases. when taken in the beginning,
the trouble may be prevented. When tbs
hair has turned entirely gray or the scalp
10 entirely bald nothing can be done. Thess
conditions mean the death OF the coloring
matter OF the hair. and in the case Of bald
ness the extinction OF the hair roots. The
cause of the hair turning gray has always
been uncertain. nor has the treatment by
the X-ray thrown much light upon these
causes. One hypothesis is that the color
Of the hair is made by the blood md that
grayness comes from a microbe which
destroys the color matter faster than the
blood can make it. II this miorobe is
destroyed by the X-ray, then the blood oar
resume its natural function. This 10 the
most plausible explanation yet put forth
why grayness is no often unacoompanied
by badness, and badness is by no means
synonymous with grayness. Badness is
rather more an affection Of the scalp and
can be prevented by the X-ray, but can
scarcely be cured. Grayness. on the COIL
trary. the scientists say. may be cured.
The restoration OF color, moreover, 10 at
tended with increased vigor Of the hair.
The is, however. extremely likely to he
preceded by a temporary falling out OF
the hair, but in a short time II takes on q new
growth.
Ii has been known ever since the X-ray
was first used that it had an effect upon the
hair, and as IL was used in the beginning
without taking special p~recaution against
letting it fall upon the hair, the result
was it was supposed to damage the hair.
The contrary by degrees was found out.
but the real discovery of the method Of
restoring color is the work Of DIR. Imbert.
head of the electrical department OF the
University of Montpelier in France, and
his first assistant, DIR. Marques. DR.. Inn
bert, who Ia constantly experimenting with
the X-ray. found out that His own hair and
beard. which were quite gray, were be-
coming dark again. He began experiment.
ing, with the assistance Of DIR. Marques,
and proved that a certain mild action OF
the rays had the power in most cases 10
restore the color. The French X-rsy
specialists became interested in these ex-
periments and in a very little while worked
out a practical formula and treatment,
of which this is a good specimen:
In ordinary cases daily treatments should
he made six in the week for about three
weeks, Every particular Of the hair should
be irradiated four times by rays Nos. ) and q
for six minutes. the anticathode being OF
fifteen centimeters.
Ampoule de Guilloz. $50
Coil.
Volts. .............. IS
Ampere. ........... Copper nterrupters
Escapement Radiguet 25 Int.
Al ten ~cenvmetres OF these conditions
you will produce the color No. | Borders
chronometer in thirteen minutes.
The treatment has been given in Paris
for about two years and with increasing
success. The X-ray men have found out,
they say, that cases can be cured and that
wherever there is any OF the original color
left il can be restored. In these advanced
cases it is not possible to restore the color
entirely to all OF the hair. There are liable
TO be light colored places where the gray
ness has been most marked. Dyed hair.
however. ia very difficult to restore. This
original color of the hair seems to be badly
affected by the uee Of dyes, and as a rule
the X-ray specialist does not attempt u
restore the dyed hair until the dye has worn
on. This is a matter Of months.
The process has been in use In Paris for
about two years and is daily growing more
popular. Three weeks is the usual period
49, n,,t Il l.
quite two months before the full effect
is accomplished. As soon ais the hair be-
gins to fall out the Treatments are stopped
for a time and is not resumed until the
falling out ceases. Generally. however.
it is possible to get eighteen treatments
without any falling out Of the hair.
During the irradiation the greatest care
is taken to protect that part. OF the hair
not being treated. The head il covered
with a cap of tin foil through which a hole
on this the rays are concentrated. The
same spot he not irradiated oftener than
once in six days. When the two general
irradiations have been given, the whole
hair upon the front OF the head, which al
ways changes first, gets more treatments
than at the back. The effect becomes
noticeable after h sixth or seventh treat
turned gray or even in particular spots
where the change has been recent. a single
treatment often completely restores the
original color.
The effect OF the treatments upon the
patients physical condition is carefully
noted. and IL any sign of fatigue or Iassitude
IL shown the treatment IL stopped fer n day
or two or until the patient is again vigorous.
IL should not. however. be understood that
in the hands OF a competent person there
IL danger. There is nothing In the least
alarming or even trying In the treatment.
and the only sensation nc ticeable 10 some
times a slight sensation Of warmth on the
SPOT treated. The patient SEATS hcrself!ina
chair before the X-ray apparatus, the hair
hangs loose TO the shoulders and the ray
is turned OF il for six minutes. An accu-
rate chart ia kept Of the spots OF the scalp
treated and the treatments are arrange
40 that where the hair In grayest treatments
may be applied oftenest.
The use OF the X-ray Ia not cheap any
where. but In Paris il is far less expensive
than in America. 20 francs go being tho
usual charge for a treatment .