76 COSMETICS. 



to be practical, intended for the present, moreover, not for pos- 

 terity, it would be hardly worth while to bestow more thought 

 on an expedient that, whatever its demonstrable feasibility, is 

 one for the adoption of which people are not yet prepared. 



When hairs have withered away down to their respective 

 bulbs, their growth can be promoted by certain applications. 

 Among these, cantharides, or Spanish flies, have acquired a 

 celebrity which, upon the whole, may be pronounced merited. 

 Cantharidine, however, in all its various states, is so powerful 

 an agent that the employment of it should never be trusted 

 to the discretion of a hairdresser. Pernitrate of mercury is 

 another agent that has grown into repute for the same pur- 

 pose. This also, however, is dangerous when used too strong, 

 and its degree of concentration can only be judged of in 

 respect to each particular case. The repute acquired by 

 bear's-grease for strengthening the hair, and even overcoming 

 alopecia, is wholly unfounded. Bear's-grease first came into 

 vogue through application of what is called the doctrine of 

 signatures, whereby it was, in one stage of medical belief 

 inferred that each particular agent used, or capable of being 

 used, gave evidence by external sign of inward potentiality. 

 Thus inasmuch as bears were seen to grow a strong coat of 

 hair, the signature was adopted as foundation for the belief 

 that any scalp to which bear's-grease might be applied should 

 forthwith produce hair in true bearish fashion. 



Very conducive to the well-being of hair is assiduous re- 

 moval of the small cutaneous scales that invest every inch of 

 the skin it grows upon. Brushing accomplishes this well, and 

 the mild friction of the brush is also advantageous by stimu- 

 lating a proper supply of blood towards the hair-roots. Let 

 no one be led away by the notion that so-called magnetic 

 brushes are of especial use. Magnetic brushes are like any 

 ordinary brushes, in effect neither better nor worse. True, in- 

 deed, each of these magnetic brushes has a magnet fixed into 

 its reverse ; but any person acquainted with magnetism will 



