attention, and that should be done by using water as the medium of
ablution. It is a well-known physiological law that it is necessary,
in order to enable the skin to carry on its healthful action, to have
washed off with water the constant cast of scales which become mingled
with the unctuous and saline products, together with particles of dirt
which coat over the pores, and thus interfere with the development of
the hairs. Water for ablution can be of any temperature that may be
acceptable and agreeable, according to the custom and condition of the
bather's health. Many chemical substances can be combined with water
to cleanse these effete productions from the skin. Soap is the most
efficacious of all for cleanliness, health, and the avoidance of
disease. Soap combines better with water to render these unctuous
products miscible, and readily removes them thoroughly from the skin.
The best variety of soap to use is the pure white soap, which cannot
be so easily adulterated by coloring material, or disguised by some
perfume or medicinal substance. Ablution with soap and water should be
performed once or twice a week at least, particularly to the head and
beard, in order to keep open the hair tubes so that they may take in
oxygen, give out carbon, carry on their nutrition, and maintain the
hairs in a fine, polished, and healthy condition. In using water to
the scalp and beard, care should be taken not to use soap-water too
frequently, as it often causes irritation of the glands, and leads to
the formation of scurf. It is equally important to avoid using on the
head, the daily shower-bath, which, by its sudden, rapid, and heavy
fall, excites local irritation, and, as a result, loss of hair quickly
follows. In case the health demands the shower-bath, the hair should
be protected by a bathing cap. The most acceptable time to wash the
hair, to those not accustomed to doing it with their morning bath, is
just before retiring, in order to avoid going into the open air or
getting into a draught and taking cold. After washing, the hair should