The Detroit times., 1910-02-12
.LEPROSY STORY
IS SILLY FAKE
Women In No Danger of Scourge
From Wearing False Hair, But
May Contract Other Affections.

Women who wear false hair of the
cheaper grades and imitation hair are
running grave danger OF disease.
Danger turks IN rats. pufis and curls
unless they be OF a quality that Is
guaranteed.
raise report that a Detroit young
woman had contracted leprOsy through
Infection from false hair has been i'm
circulation in the shopping district Tor
number of days. Investigation dis.
closes no basis for this report The
unfortunate victim OF this rumor has
suffered great mental torture through
the morbid interest attached TO her
through IT,
young woman In one OF the down
town stories has, however, contracted
form OF scalp eczema which her ply
sician attributes TO the wearing OF
false hair which had been treated with
strong acids.
There is no possibility OF leprosy
in this case" stated the physician
Friday. The disease is due to the
poisoning OF the blood by the acids
released from the hair by the heat and
perspiration OF the head.
This young womaH is not employed
in the hair department or the store
where she works
II heard OF eight cases OF young wo.
men who have contracted skin disease
nom cheap hair while | was in Chi.
cage recently. says Mrs. Alice Wad-
ley. hair dresser in the Breitmeyer
building. 1T is only the use OF hair.
OF limitations, whicl have been wrong
ly treated which are dangerous. /
treat all nair Ilat | sell SO that there
g. no danger OF its causing trouble
So do all careful hair dealers
The fashions in couture the pas
year or two have caused a hair famine
Since last fall prices OF real hair have
more than doubled. and supplies are
hard 10 obtain at any price. Espc.
Cially is this true Of the longer quail
ties such as are used for coronN
braids.
In consequence. much cheap hair and
imitation hair made OF seaweed are
Icing sold The seaweed comes from
the Pacific Island and the Far East
and is not always carefully prepared
Where treated al all, II Is usually by
boiling I'm strong acids which are not
entirely eliminated afterward.
one peculiarly OF the situation 3
that much hair has 10 be bleached to
suit the tastes OF customers who desire
blonde snaGes The most plentiful
supply OF human hair comes from Asia
where the people are brunettes. y
Chinese's black queue is however,
treated so that it becomes switt h
OF shiny light brown hair. IL is this
treatment that IS al to be dangerous,
The real blonde shades OF hair come
from northern Europe and the eau
casus The peasaItry OF Europe are
the principal supply for these shades.
Il buy hair from a French firm more
than 400 years old, and the hair that
they supply is treated for three years
with steam and white sand before il
e. sent out" said VIM. A. Haines,
Grand Riyerave. hair dealer. still |
take the precaution, even with that, OF
disinfecting II.
Il have found many cases OF scalp
trouble tue TO wearing poor qualities
OF false hair among ladies who come
here TO have their hair dressed. In
such cases have told them to throw
away the junk they were wearing
There is no danger In good false
hair"
While the pressure of high prices
for real human hair has brought out
a great deal OF poor quality goods
there seems TO be no danger OF leprosy
from the use OF the poorer grades.
There is II Is admitted, the always
present danger OF eczema, however.
Cases of leprosy reported from varl-
Gus cities seem to be exaggerationS
. H.. - -
the lesser disease,
DR.. Andrew p. Biddle, skin special
list. advises women TO do away with
their present styles OF coifure TO avert
danger Of threatened skin Affections.