A BALD WORLD.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 April 1919, Page 2

A BALD WORLD.

EUROPE LOSING ITS HAIR

‘ ‘ Europe is suffering from an epidemic of premature baldness.” This startling announcement was made by a well-known London hair specialist. He attributes it partly to war conditions and partly to a universal tendency due to the advance of civilisation. “ During the-past year, and especially since the armistice,” lie said, “ I have been surprised by the large number of young men, even youths, who are completely losing their hair. Investigation shows this phenomenon to have at least three causes: Worry resulting from the war; the effect on the system of rough army food; the injury caused to the liair roots and blood vessels of the head by tight-fitting army caps and heavy shellhelmets.

“Nor is this baldness confined to Britain; it is prevalent in most countries in Europe where war conditions have prevailed. It is affecting not only young men but women—although not to so great an extent. Since the war many cases have eomo t° my notice of a tendency to baldness in quite young women who come to me for help. Most of them are war-workers—a significant feature. The worry of munition work and the effect of heavier labour to which women are unaccustomed are undoubtedly contributory causes. “But the primary cause lies in the advance of civilisation. Three hundred years ago baldness was almost unknown to men—certainly to young men. Even the profligate Stuarts kept their long tresses to a good age. Studying the hair of the different races of mankind to-day, one finds that there are certain types—such as the Red Indian, the Hindu, the Gipsy—that seldom lose their hair. The reason for their immunity is obvious; they have not the distractions of European civilisation. If commerco with all the competition, travel; and hustle it entails, continues J o advance so rapidly, it is within reason that in two or three centuries Europeans will have entirely discarded hair, that relie of the brute stage. In place of it they will develop thicker scalps.”