94 TRICHOLOGIA MAMMALIUM; 



cheeks and outside of the upper lip, (whiskers) and in and under the chin, -(beard.) 

 The first five are epicene;* the two last belong to males only. 



OF THE PILE OF THE SCALP. This, as we have before explained, is divided into two 

 varieties of hair and wool ; denoting three distinct species. It is upon the head of man 

 that the epidermis has the least sensibility, and, owing to the convex form of the skull, it 

 presents but a very small siirface, at a time, to contact with external objects; it is, there- 

 fore, of very little inconvenience to the sense of touch to have the 1 scalp entirely covered 

 with hair, or wool, forming a soft cushion of defence against external violence. As to the 

 face, although it is the seat of several other organs of sense, it does not require a high 

 degree of tangibility; and hence we find it, also, plentifully provided with pile; but the 

 prominent parts of the cheeks, and the environs of the eys, (where the passions are 

 principally depicted,) are left bare. Some rare instances occur where no hair is produced 

 upon the head. There is a highly respectable gentleman, residing in this city, who has 

 never had any hair on his head, nor, indeed, upon his body. 



Much has been said in other parts of this work upon the hair and wool of the head, to 

 which we refer, to avoid repetition, 



OF CLIMACTRIC HAIRS. That the generative organs exercise a general influence over 

 the hairs of the beard and the hypogastric hairs, seems to be beyond a doubt. These 

 hairs make their first appearance at the period of being marriageable, which is therefore 

 termed the period of puberty. When, owing to any cause, the development of the sexual 

 organs is interrupted, these hairs are defective; and, in like manner, any thing which 

 destroys these hairs, or prevents their growth, acts detrimentally upon the sexual organs. 

 The gentleman of this city, before alluded to, who has no hair, is married, but he has never 

 had an offspring. In most of those cases of malconformation, commonly called herma- 

 phrodite, there is a corresponding paucity of these hairs. Rtlssel altered stags, and he 

 informs us that in some their antlers grew irregularly, and in others not at all. Bichat 

 says, that a cock with his comb cut languishes; which has probably given rise to the 

 remark, often made, of such a one " having had his comb cut" when he is disconcerted or 

 put down. The Lion, deprived of his mane, is said to lose part of his courage, and 

 probably a part of his vitality. When Samson was betrayed by Delilah, he was bereaved 

 of his pile; but when he was brought out to be sacrificed by the Philistines, his beard 

 being grown, and his hair in a great measure restored, he laid hold of the two chief pillars 

 and pulled the house down.f 



Bichat condemns the practice of shaving the beard as injurious; and it is related of 



* Epicene, from " epi," upon, and "kvinos," common ; common to both sexes. 



f "And she said unto him, Thou has mocked me three times, and hath not told mo wherein thy great strength lieth. And 

 he told her all his heart : and said unto her, There has not come a razor upon mine head ; for I have been a Nazarite unto 

 God from my mother's womb. If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like other 

 men. And she made him sleep on her knees ; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his 

 head; and she began to afflict him, and his slrcivjlh went from him." 



