The Washington times., 1916-09-16
Bldckhedds Are Due
To Dirt and Lack Of
Attention to Hygiene
By DIR. LEONARD KEENE HIRsHBERG.
LETTER OF reproof has reached
me. In part II reads: your
recent statement regarding

LETTER OF reproof has reached I
~ me. In part II reads: your
recent statement regarding |
blaokheads II entirely erron-
eous. II you will consult any good book
on the microscope which deals with
such matters. you will md that black
heads are living organisms. You should
be careful never to make statements
which you cannot back up with facts"
The name signed 10 this letter-which.
by the way. gives no address-caused
me to try TO locate the writer. The
closest search. however, failed 70 reveal
any aich person In the city directory.
The writer OF this note evidently does
no research work himself. although II
10 possible that he Ia q physician.
dirt. The dingier. dustier, and dirtier
your house. Workshop, or the street. the
more you are likely--if the greases and
waxes of the flesh are superabundant-
nose, cheeks. and chin. In the canals
Of the facial skin In fatty. waxy ma
terial called "sebaceous OILS" made by
the cebaceons glands OF the deepmost
cuticle. II this fat has no free passage
in the channels and becomes almost as
hard as q candle. Either the dust
plugs the outer orthce or the fat be-
comes thick and tough. and coagulates
In the tiny pipes with the dirt settled
upon the outermost part as black
When the juices. fluids, and tissues Of
your anatomy are quickly adaptable to
changes Of heat and cold. dryness and
moisture. and the sebaceous oils are
constantly replaced with clean. fresh
stun. no biackhesds are to be seen.
On the other hand, IL the wrong exer-
cises are taken. II baths are avoided:
II poor mixture OF foods "a eaten, and
II the idividuai u deprived OF water.
milk, sunshine and an open-air life, then
the human fabric becomes defective in
its adaptations and inca pable of quickly
changing the consistency OF its oils,
fats. juices and general composition.
Squeezing Doesn't Cure.
This is the origin OF biackheads, es-
pecially In young girls. An examination
OF the social status. the daily life and
the quality of blood OF such young per-
sons often establish just such q state
OF affairs as that suggested above.
True enough. there are accessory
causes local and internal. such as the
use OF poor soaps-sometimes expen-
sive. yet MISUNDERSTANDING toilet prep
arations, and similar artificial dsturbers
Who can doubt the value OF cold, pure
distilled water and q brisk cleansing Of
the delicate texture OF the face with a
| sterile chamos or absorbent cottonf"
Merely to press or to squeeze the wax
and blackheads out. good as II 10 as q
| temporary solution of the problem. can
, not aid the fne. smooth texture OF the
skin. Nor will the application of disin-
fectants or antiseptits destroy the
biaciheads. These demand frequent
bathing. an. outdoor life In the sunshine,
the taboo Of candies. cakes. sweets and
.starches. and a diet rich In mineral
vegetables. fruits. milk and water.
The wax with Its blackhead or dirt
| spot on II 10 not the worm at ALL In
deed. the alleged worm IN seldom seen
except as pictures in oldtime books on
skin diseases.
Prof. Malcolm Morris. consulting sur
eeon to the skin department OF st.
Mary's Hospital. London. recognized the
world over because OF his original in
vestigations as well as for his books
on skin diseases. has this 10 say in the
1916 volume OF his Diseases Of the
| Skin :"
"The demodex follIculorum which "a
Round sometimes In comedones---black-
heads-appear' to have no geological
importance"
| Methods Of Cure.
Further along he says:
"Condones are small masses Of Sc.
baceous matter plugging the ducts OF
sebaceous glands" Sebnm II the wax
described In plain English. statements
backed up by many facts. my critic 70
\ the contrary Notwithstanding.
| Extrusion Of the blackheaded plugs
OF hebum. IL done In the ancient fashion
with perforated keys, nat metals, the
finger nails or any non-sterile nipple