The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-06-04
Color CHANCES OF HAIR

VIC 0SSE1AARS ~ A1A1N e@eA
account Of the factors which may mooi-
fy or determine the growth Of hair VIII
usually be vain one. The Older
writer's. who did not always hesitate
to make dogmatic statements when they
were required to produce q finished ac-
count, sometimes discussed the subject
with considerable freedom. Not % the
modern scientific author. who realizes
that every sentence from his pen Il
likely to be subjected to the scrutiny
and criticism of someone who naa
studied the topic at 4rst hand. the
general descriptions Of the processes OF
growth have been satisfactory. Facts
concerning these processes are perman-
emf acquisitions OF physiology. but tney
do not commonly rise to the level Of
practical problems. Why does or does
not the hair grow In certain regions u"
certain individuals? What are the CON
ditiops contributory to growth! no"
are the patural changes in color drought
about and what determines them:
Experimental studies in this HELD can
not readily be conducted on man. Ger
tain facts are, OF course. matters VI
common observation. The beard grow
anew after shaving. and this tohsor.@'
practice is believed to stimulate tine
growth of the hair. Precisely why IL
does. in not clear. The beard IS Aaso
said to frow more rapidly in summer.
If the pigment which produces the
natural color Of the ilair IL LACKING tne
h.irs preseut a gray or white appear
ance. The silvery color may furtner
he due to the presence OF more or less
air in the hair. To account ior inc
blanchinR of the hair-the familiar ac-
commandment Of old age and . phenom-
encn which frequently begins long De-
fore middle life is fairly concluded
various views have been set 1ortn n
different times. The silvery gray ap-
pearance which il seen in aging persons
IL probably characterized to some extent
bv the occurrence OF larger number OF
air cavities. and not by the destruc-
ton Of the pigment. Hair pigment can
BIO destroyed only by the most vigorous
chemical treatment. Dry hairs CONTAIN
more air and therefore Will appear
somewhat lighter in color than moist
ones; but black hair may be oried 70
the utmost without becoming white. ana
the tair of mummies dried through tne
centuries still show their pigment pre-
cisely as do fresh hairs.
The explanation of the familiar color
changes OF the hair is probably to be
found, not in a destruction OF pigment
already present. not In any bleaching
of hairs already formed, but rather In
a complete renewal of the hair. Pig
mented hairs fall out and are replaced
by unpigmented or whit, ones. The
of gray or white na1r -.
therefore, attributable to the formation
of a new hair coat rather than by the
alteration OF the old one. Completely
augmented hairs never turn gray: they
fall out. 1t is nevertheless observed
that the process Of pigment formation
may cease during the development OF a
hair. In that event the tip will remain
augmented though the base appears
white. "a
How are we to harmonixe these state
ments, asks The Journal OF the Ameri-
can Medical Association, with the many
published records Of hair having turned
white suddenly as the presumable con-
sequence of fright or other profound
emotion: A careful study OF the re-
puted instances has invariably shown
that they were mythical. It il popu-
lariy related that Marie Antoinefte
grew gray during the night after she
was condemned to be executed. It Is
true that at her death her hair was
gray; but her biographersN all record
that her hair had been gray long be-
fore the time of her death. 1t il also
quite possible that the change in her
hair while in prison was due to the
fact that she did not have access to
hair dyes and other toilet preparations
This may serve to illustrate the value
of hear<ay evidence and popular tradi-
ton.
The conspicuous changes which the
color Of the fur of certain species Of
animals undergoes at different seasons
Of the year, becoming white In the
winter months, affords an opportunity
Of investigating this pronounced trans
formation seemingly SO closely related
to what is seen In advancing age in
man The studies Of Schwalbe have
demonstrated that here too there Is no
alteration of the color OF the summer
fur. The dark hairs fall out as the
season advances and white hairs grow
In their place. No sudden changes are
found when accurate observations are
instituted.