The Art of Living in Australia: Together with Three Hundred Australian Cookery Recipes and Accessory Kitchen Information by Mrs. H. WickenMuskett, Philip E.
Science
The Art of Living in Australia: Together with Three Hundred Australian Cookery Recipes and Accessory Kitchen Information by Mrs. H. Wicken
Muskett, Philip E.
Australia -- Social life and customs; Cooking, Australian; Health; Hygiene
We have just seen that the accumulations of DEBRIS and other material
at the roots of the hair are prejudicial to its growth. It must not be
inferred from this, however, that incessant washing of the scalp, by
removing these collections, is a good thing. Now, it is advised by some
that the hair should be wetted daily at the same time the bath is
taken. But as a general rule this is a mistake; only those who have a
superabundance of natural oil can afford to carry out such a practice.
With the great majority of people it is absolutely detrimental to the
growth of the hair to wash it oftener than once a week. After washing
the head, the hair should be thoroughly dried. Many attacks of
neuralgia, especially in the fair sex, are due to the effect of getting
into a draught while the hair is still wet.
There are several points to be borne in mind in connection with the
growth and preservation of the hair. With many persons the scalp is
very tender and will not tolerate vigorous brushing. In such instances
the brush should always be a soft one; indeed, a hard brush cannot be
recommended under any circumstances. The teeth of the comb, also,
should never be so sharp as to irritate the scalp, nor should they be
set too closely together. A certain amount of brushing is necessary to
keep the scalp and hair in healthy action, but it must never be carried
to excess. Singeing the hair is greatly believed in by a number of
people, and in some cases it appears to be of benefit. Many believe
that singeing seals up the cut ends of the hair, which they affirm
bleed when cut. This has no foundation in fact, however, for, as it has
already been explained, the hair is not a tube. A hard, unyielding
covering for the head is not at all suitable; the lighter and
more ventilated the head-gear the better. But, the truth is, a sensible
and suitable head-covering for Australian use has yet to be devised.
Thinning of the hair, and even actual baldness, are not unfrequently
started by the hard rim of the hat employed. This mechanically
interferes with the supply of blood to the scalp, and thus it is that
the crown suffers most in this respect, since it is the more starved of
blood.
As I have previously shown, the hair often suffers from want of natural
oil. The investigations of Liebreich have shown that this is closely
allied to lanolin, which is the purified fat of sheep's wool. Moreover,
it has been found that this lanolin is the very best substitute for the
former. It is, however, too sticky to be used alone as a pomade.
Accordingly, Dr. Allan Jamieson, of Edinburgh, a very high authority on
diseases of the skin and hair, advises that it should be mixed with oil
of sesame in the following proportions:
Oil of sesame....1 drachm.
Lanolin..........2 ounces.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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