The Value of a Bald Head.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 445, 12 February 1890, Page 3

The Value of a Bald Head.

A medical correspondent attributes to a lay contemporary some remarks upon his profession, which, although in some respects containing a good deal of truth, are nevertheless confessedly amusing. His main object in view is to show that he has made a gross mistake in joining the ranks of medicine instead of investing his moneys, which had been spent upon his education, in some business concern. He describes himself as a failure, and this after working exceedingly hard at his profession. The cause of his failure he attributes to_ the absence of two things which are chiefly essential to success in the medical profession. There are, he asserts, in the first place, money; and in the second, a bald head. ‘I have no money, and my hair is inconveniently thick. Incipient baldness gives the appearance of a “ high and dome-like forehead,” and inspires the ladies with confidence. The fortunate possessor of this beautiful feature is pronounced “ very clever,” which settles the matter. Besides, it is almost indispensable for a “good bedside manner.” All my medical friends who are getting on well have either money or bald heads ; most of them have both.’ It is, no doubt/ very much to the advantage of a young practitioner to exhibit a ‘modern antique’ appearance, and nothing contributes so greatly to this end as a head which is innocent of "hair. There is a real commercial value in a bald head, but this value is by no means confined to the medical profession. Whatever advantages, however, it may confer on a ‘ business young man,’ to a medical man a fair estimate under favnurable circumstances would be, at the lowest, £SOO a year. The assumption of age and ripe philosophy which a man can safely indulge in whose hair follicles upon the top of his head have in early manhood undergone a process of fatty degeneration, leaving a white expause of reflecting integument, is a matter of common observation. The public are impressed by the appearance of things under these circumstances ; a bald head will carry conviction to their minds when nothing else will—saving, perhaps, a flow > ing beard. Even the lower animals are not insensible bo its attraction! It is recorded that an ostrich once sab down upon the bald head of an Englishman uuder the impression that it was an egg that required hatching. The circumstances were favourable bo this slight error of judgment, and the sagacious bird must be acquitted of haying purposely attempted to play a practical joke. Bub in this matter, as in all things else in life, appearances are everything. No one knows better the value of a bald head than he who possesses it, at all events in medicine ; but how strangely captious is Nature, for while one man, greatly to his worldlv prosperity, conveniently finds his head becoming bald, another has to seek consolation where he can under_ the depressing circumstances of knowing that his head is the only place upon which he cannot get hair to grow.