THE HAIR.

Waikato Times, Issue 201, 23 August 1873, Page 3

T HE HAIR.

As the hn.lv ia an adjunct to the skin, and of great importance to the comfort and clt>>inliness of the human race, we shall notice it here. In stiucturo vis similar to liorn, and much more subject to diseases, tome of which have been already mentioned when ti oiling of ringworm on the scalp and dandrift". Each hair ha 9 a bulb or root, nnd consequently a separate existence, capable of bein^inilut'necd by wliatevt r a!lect9 the constitution generally. This is pro\ed by the hair falling after fevers, even of a nrld clmrneter, unil In its Tilling o\en in youth with persons suliermg irom phthisic, consumption, and other causes of debility; while persons ol robust eoi stitutions often retain their hair, unaltered even in color, at an advanced age. We know, however, that persons who are apparently in robust health do often lose their hair early in life, for which it is equally difficult; to account, as it is to givo any good reason whj the hair should fall oil' the crown of the head whilo it remains abundant on the bajlc part of the head, on the iace, and chin. Nor can any very satisfactory reason be assigned for the hair, with some persons, changing color and becoming prey beforo the age of thirty ; while others at eighty have not a single grey hair. The state of the skin we observe, has an immediate action on the h.nr, as cold, with all animals, makes the hair bristle, or stand erect ; but this may bo accounted for by the contraction of the skin compressing the hair bulbs ; which eifect is also produced from extreme ienr The mind also has great iniluenre on the state of the hair. Few close students retain their hair after the meridian of life ; and intense anxiety of mind hsis bcenkuown to change the color of the hair in a single night, as it is related of Mary Queen of Scots, Sir Thomas More, and »ome others. Thkatment — For premature change m color of the hair, no remedy has been discovered, except the dye of the artist, or the application of some preparation of lead ; and recourse to either of these devices cannot be recommended, beciuiso neither is sate when brought into contact with the skin, while the growth of the hair makes the use of dyes of only transient benefit. For loss of hair judicious treatment is generally successful unle3i the bulbs or root* have been entirely destrojed, bu falling of the hair ihould bo attended to early, for the rule | is invariable that the okler the diseaso is, by bo much more difficult will bo its removal. For restoring or improving the growth of hair, shaving is the most successful remedy. As soon as the hair begins to fall the head should be shaven regularly once a week, and this should be continued for some months until a full growth of hair appears on the toy of the head. This operation is easily performed, and gives no pain if commenced on the crown of the head, and carried downwards, and the only reasonable objection to this remedy is the necessitj' for wearing a wig till the hair grows. When tins difficulty is insurmountable, and in cases of partial loss of hair, friction with a stimulating liniment night and morning generally succeeds ; but bear's grease or other animal oil, has nothing to recommend it above vegetable oils, winch are cleaner. Hie oil or spirit of turpentine is an excellent application, and castor oil 13 also serviceable, but the perfume of these is objectionable. The strong fluid ammonia (hartshorn) is very efficient, and was always preferred by my patients, because it was free from any disa^rcoablo odour About half a teaspoonful should be rubbed on the hi'ad night and morning, leaving the head uncovered for 11 little till evaporation takes place, nnd taking care tli.it it does not fall into the eve*, which it would mllaine. — FtdUrto.is Family Medical Guide.

LoxoEVriv — lieLvnd claims to have some very longlived people. The Registrar General reports "that among the 33,434 deaths registeied in Ii eland in the last quarter of the year 1872 were those of 15 persons stated to have reached or passed the age of 100 yeais In most of those instances no statement is given of any proof that the age is correctly lopieseuted; but the Registrar of Castlemartyr, Middleton, reporting a death at 100 j'eare, says : — ' ' The case is as well authenticated as can l>e in the absence of any official lecord." The Registrar of Coolmountain, Dunmanway, reports: — "The death of a man is registeied who had attained, without any possibility of a doubt, the great age of 106 years. He was a smith by tiade, and assisted his son, who also follows the same trade, to within a foitnight of Ins death. I understand the deceased was in the habit of taking bis tumbler of punch." The death nf a man also aged 1(16 was legistered at Uantry, mid the Registrar says : -" He always stated that lie w.ia 30 years of age at the tune the French fleet entered Bantry Bay. He preserved his intellect to the last, and wns only confined to his bed for about ten days previous to his death from a slight rheumatic pain in the knee, lie died in the workhouse hospital." At Cavan a death stated to be at the age of 108 occurred, also in the workhouse. The Kegistiar of (Jastlederg reports a death at 108, and says :—": — " I made careful inquiry lespeeting this case, and found the statement of the informant as to the extraordinary age of the deceased peifeetly sustained. " The greatest age registered in the quarter was 115, stated to be attained by .i woman who died in the Meigli distiict of Newry Union ; but all that the Registrar says is that she is rei>v>rted to have enjoyed good health during the whole term, and to have been in the harrest field a short time previous to her death Kecently Mr Langham held an inquest on the body of Thomas Holmes, aged 26, C.irnaby stieet, Goldeu-square, About ten o'clock on a previous night the deceased, who for some time had been in a desponding btate, committed suiude by hanging himself in a lumber room at the b.vck of his shop. IJis wife, discovering wh.it he had done, l.in to the door and called to a policeman, " My husband is hanging ; pray oome and assibt me." The policeman, however, refuse 1 to do so, saying he must consult his sergeant first. A few minutes afterwards two policemen o\me m and cut down the deceased, but life was then extinct. The constable refen ed to, who was present, said he Lnevv ho was to blimo. He did not know what to do. At last he thought it would be better to speak to his seigeant, who was a few yards away. An inspector of police said the constable was yomi^, .mil bad not had much cv- j perience. The jury returned a verdict of "Temporary i insanity." The use and beatuy of some kinds of phrenological science were nooly shown forth the other evening m Topeka, where a lecturer on bumps was delighting a large audience. Sundry ignorant and unpleasant poisons, to whom this scientific dispensation is not pleasant, resolved to play dark tricks upon this good man, and to that end introduced upon the stage a very pious and reputable Kansas editor as "Col. Jennison," a celebrated gambler and scamp of Leavenworth. The phrenologist bolemnly ■wandering over this worthy being's biain, beoame filled with inspiration and enthusiasm, and gave him a character of a dark, desperate, and outrageous kind, pronouncing him a dangerous man, and one from whom pistols and bowie km\ es should be secluded. The gleeful and unpleasant persons before mentioned then introduced, the real Col. Jenuison as "Elder Davis," a noted local preacher. This gentleman, to whom his career is doubtless dear, was astonished and horrified to hear himself called a man of extreme modesty, large conscientiousness, very sensitive, full of sympathy, and ready to die for the right. There is no phrenologist in Topeka now. j A contemporary says the Keio York Tribune's report of the animals during the fire in Barnum's museum was incomplete. The Sun supplies the omission : — The whale did not burn up ; it was swallowed by the enormous alligator ; the auaconda then swallowed the alligator j the Dying Brigand swallowed the anaconda ; and the Tribune's reporter swallowed the brigand ; and then the reporter perished miserably in attempting to desctibe his afterdinner emotions. This may be deemed improbable ; not so, stranger things are recorded— a man in Philadelphia swallowed the Tribune's iep<>rt. A leuiy writer m one ot the religious papers thinks women should be appointed teachers of classes of the larger boys and young men, because the love and reverence that big lads feel for a lady teacher fill up a gap in their lives at a very dangerous time, and prevent them falling a prey to the enticements of bold and forward girls, who would make them most unworthy wives.