Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/349

 327 became white as snow in one night, is well known. Another historical instance is re- corded in the case of Mary Queen of Scots, whose red hair became white within a few days. Sir Erasmus Wilson^ in one of his works on the skin and hair, relates the case of a lady who had been engaged for some years to a gentleman living abroad. During his voyage home to complete his marriage engagement, a shipwreck occurred, and he was drowned. A day or two after the date when his ship was expected to arrive, a letter was put into his fiancee's hands which conveyed the news of his death. She had a, nervous collapse, and remained in an almost unconscious state for five hours. On the following evening, her hair, which had previously been of a deep brown colour, was observed to have become perfectly white. Her eyebrows and eyelashes retained their natural colour. Subsequently, the whole of the white hair fell off, and when another growth appeared, it too was grey. Neuralgia as a Cause A case was recorded in the " Lancet " a good many years ago of a young man who had dark brown hair. He was engaged in Norway upon a railway. An accident occurred ; he sustained no injury, but experienced great fright. The next morning, his hair, particularly that which grew over the temporal bone, had changed from brown to grey. In such cases, the nerves, as well as the skin, are undoubtedly affected, and the great sensitive nerve, commonly called the fifth nerve, is always the chief one to suffer. This nerve is the largest cranial one, and resembles a spinal nerve, having two roots and a ganglion upon its posterior root. It supplies the head and face and hair. Premature greyness is often caused by neuralgia, in which the fifth nerve is greatly affected. It will often be found that the hair has become white in streaks just over the parts of the head where the neuralgia has been most frequent. Constant perspiration of the scalp is another cause of premature greyness. This has been variously explained. One expla- nation is that the acid generated by the perspiration has a bleaching effect. It is certainly true that early greyness is more common in tropical than in temperate climates. A superabundance of lime in the body will cause g:reyness. Gouty and rheumatic people are liable to premature greyness, the explanation being that the hme causes obstruction to the colouring matter, which cannot thus properly permeate the medullary substance ; the hair, therefore, becomes grey, dry, and brittle. The greyness of advancing years is not caused, as is sometimes supposed, by any change in the colouring matter ; it is really due to an arrest of the progress of pigmentary development. In old age there is a natural waste or organic degeneration going on in BEAUTY the bones and tissues. These shrink and contract for want of moisture. The skin of the scalp naturally also shrinks, and the pigmentary matter fails in secretion. This general failure of nutrition may, of course, take place through other causes than that of old age. Dyspepsia affects the general nutrition ; long and exhausting illnesses have also the same effect. Constant worry, nervous debility, and a general neurasthenic condition are all factors in arresting the nutrition of the body. A Valuable Drug: In cases of anaemia and exhaustion, tonics, in the form of iron, quinine, nux vomica, etc., should be judiciously administered, but diet and general hygienic measure's are of more importance than drugs. Nutritious but simple food, plenty of open-air exercise, freedom as far as possible from worry and anxiety, these are all prophylactics against premature greyness. There is only one drug which has any real effect in arresting premature greyness. This is hydrochlorate of pilocarpine, a preparation from the leaves of the jaborandi plant, a native of South America. This exercises a strong stimulating effect upon the natural pigmentary matter, encouraging its secretion. It is an expensive and powerful drug, and only needs to be prescribed in very small quantities. The following prescription has been successfully used in a large number of cases : Pilocarp. hydrochlor. . . 6 grains Spt. vin. rect. . . . 6 drachms Tinct. jaborandi. . . . ] ounce Glycerini 2 drachms Aqua rosae 8 ounces This should be thoroughly rubbed into the scalp every night, and the treatment persevered with for at least five or six weeks. When the hair is of a brittle nature, and the scalp very dry, a more emollient pre- paration would be advisable, and a pomade, such as the following, may be used : Pilocarp. hydrochlor. . . 2 grains Tinct. of jaborandi. . ^ ounce Lanoline if ounces Cocoanut oil. . . . i| ounces This, also, must be well rubbed into the scalp, and its use persevered with. Cases of premature greyness, due to an hereditary tendency, seldom, unfortunately, yield to treatment. When the hair is becoming prematurely grey, lotions containing tincture of cantharides, quinine, nux vomica, ammonia, and strong spirituous preparations, are better avoided. The greyness of old age cannot be remedied. It can, however, be disguised, and for this purpose dyes would be necessary. Hair of silvery whiteness, however, is so beautiful and fitting a frame for an aged face that, unless there is a necessity, from the point of view of competition in the field of employment, to appear as young as possible, dyeing the hair is not advisable. To be contimied.