if only in childhood, in a moment of sudden terror or horror, has not 

experienced the sensation popularly described as "the hair standing on 

end?" Or who is there that, at some time or other, has not witnessed 

the partial erection of the hair in children or females under like 

violent emotions, or seen the representation of it in sculptures or 

paintings? Those passions, so aptly styled by Gray the "vultures of 

the mind," frequently affect with wonderful rapidity the health of 

both the body and the mind, which wreck the hair soon sympathizes with 

and shares. Instances are recorded in which violent grief in a few 

weeks has blanched the hair and anticipated the effects of age; and 

others in which intense terror or horror has affected the same with 

even greater celerity, the change having occurred in a few days or 

even in a few hours. 

Besides daily attention to the hair, something else is necessary to 

insure its cleanliness and beauty and the perfect health of the skin 

of the head from which it springs. For this purpose the head should 

be occasionally well washed with soap and water, an abundance of water 

being used and great care being subsequently taken to thoroughly rinse 

out the whole of the soap with the water in which the head has been 

washed. The water may be either tepid or cold, according to the 

feelings or habit of the person; and if the head or hair be very 

scurfy or dirty, or hard water be used, a few grains of soda (not 

potash or pearlash) may be advantageously added to the water. This 

will increase its detersive qualities. After the hair has been washed, 

which should be done quickly, though thoroughly, it should be freed as 

much as possible by pressure with the hands and then wiped with a 

soft, thick towel, which should be done with care, to avoid entangling 

it. After laying it straight, first with the coarse end of the 

dressing comb and then with the finer portion, it may be finally 

dressed. 

In ordinary cases once every two or three weeks is often enough to 

wash the hair and head. The extreme length of ladies' hair will 

sometimes render the process of washing it very troublesome and 

inconvenient. In such cases the patient and assiduous use of a clean, 

good hairbrush, followed by washing the partings and the crown of the 

head with soap and water, may be substituted. 

The occasional washing of the head is absolutely necessary to preserve 

the health of the scalp and the luxuriance and beauty of the hair when 

much oil, pomatum or other greasy substance is used in dressing it. 

Medical writers have frequently pointed out the ill effects of the 

free or excessive use of oily or greasy articles for the hair; but 

their warnings appear to be unheeded by the mass of mankind. Some 

object to their use altogether. There are, however, exceptions to 

every rule, and some of these exceptions are noticed elsewhere in this