Weekly journal-miner., 1915-11-24
EXPLAINS REASON FOR
 so MANY BALD PATES
By Chas. G. Percival, M. D.

By Chas. G. Percival, M. D.
 Enquiries on health subjects may
 be directed to Dr. Percival, of this paper, and will be answered in these
 columns. He will not give medical
 advice.)
 Owing to the large number of in
 quiries now being received by Dr.
 Percival, in order to facilitate his an
 swering same, and for the convenience
 of our readers, we beg to state that
 the letters can be sent to him per
 sonally at his address, l931 Broad
 way, New York City, enclosing two
 cent stamp for direct reply.
 Why the Hair Falls Out.
 Few diseases of the hair known as parasitical cause it fall out A mi crospic parasite enters the hair-fol- licle and destroys the nairbulb so
 that the hair falls out There is some difference of opinion as to the cause of hair falling out when it is simply a case of falling hair not due to any parasitical disease. I believe that it is always due to a depressed condition of the nervous system. The hair has very little vital connection with the skin. The hair-follicle is like a cistern, with a large bulging interior and small opening at the top. The hair-bulb fits more or less per fectly into this cistern-shaped cavity. The bulbous end of the hair being larger than the opening of the hair follicle. holds it to its place. Every thing depends upon the elasticity of the skin. Any flabbiness of the skin will immediately cause the narrow opening of the hair-follicle to dilate and allow the hair to slip out of its place. Not only this, lowered vital states will cause the hair to shrink, and the bulbous extremity of the hair becomes smaller and It will slip out of its place. Falling hair always de- bends upon a lowered state of vitality of that portion of the skin that covers the scalp. Indoor life, business wor- ry, neglect of muscular development, the wearing of tight hat that com presses the arteries of the temples and many other causes bring this about Going bareneaded, massaging the scalp, and other hygienic meas ures which tend toward increasing the vitality of the whole body, is the only treatment. Do no; wet the hair with anything. Never use hair tonics of any sort upon it. Do not even wash it with water. Keep it cut short which exposes the hair less to pulls which forcibly drag the hair out of its follicle In rubbing the hair it should not be pulled. With the use of a good bristle brush the whole scalp can be thoroughly treat ed. If much outdoors wear a soft brimmed hat. that exerts no pres sure on the sides of the ilead. Indoors omit the hat, or nothing heavier than the ligntest sort of skull-cap. Dan druff is caused by the same thing that causes falling hair There is being exfoliated from the scalp, epidermal scales Scales small and transparent In dandruff, a large number of these invisible scales are agglutinated together, form a scab of considerable size. Under the microscope each one of these pieces is divisible into many hundred small scales, which are simply the eDidermal scales. There is nothing wrong in this exfoliation. It should go on continuously but the difficulty | is that these scales agglutinate, or stick together. forming mass. The 1 cause of this is deranged condition of the glands of the skin which sc- crete the oil of the skin. Ordinarily. l this oil is very thin, and not sticky | in character It keeps the skin soft | and pliable. Whenever the skin be- comes flabby or bloodiess, or the nerves of the skin deranged, then the fail to do their work prop erly and secrcte vi5cid quality of oil which causes the epidermal scales | to stick together and to form masses | that are visible to the eye or dan druff. It depends upon the same con iition that causes falling hair. Often 1andruff is not associated with falling hair, and it sometimes happens that falling hair is not associated with iandruff. But when they are associat- ed they doubtless both depend upon icvitalized condition of the skin GOV ering the scalp. By disseminating the use of liquids and hair tonics curing the diseases of the rest of .hc body and vigorously rubbing the scalp with brush and fingers, the dan lruff will disappear.