Bloom Of Youth

"DANGEROUS

Fashions

     "THE CRUELTIES THE TYRANT OF FASHION INFLICTS UPON HER SLAVES--WILLING THOUGH THEY BE--ARE INDEED APPALLING. JUST TO THINK OF LADIES UPON WHOM NATURE HAS LAVISHED HER CHARMS, SUBMITTING TO THE ENAMELING PROCESS ONLY TO BECOME SUBJECT TO PARALYSIS OR DROP DEAD FROM ITS EFFECTS. OTHERS, AGAIN, SEEKING TO BE FAIRER THAN THE FAIREST, ARE ALLURED BY THE GLARING WORDS, 'LAIRD'S BLOOM OF YOUTH,' AND SIMILAR POETIC PHRASES, AND EAGERLY SEIZE UPON THE POISONOUS COMPOUNDS, ONLY TO SUFFER THE EXCRUCIATING PAINS OF NEURALGIA OR BREATHE OUT A PAINFUL AND LINGERING EXISTENCE FROM THE EFFECTS OF SLOW POISON INTRODUCED INTO THE SYSTEM BY THEIR USE."    

   "THE FATAL EFFECTS OF PAINTING.

     "NO ONE CAN RIDE OR WALK THROUGH THE FASHIONABLE PORTION OF NEW YORK CITY, ATTEND ANY PLACE OF AMUSEMENT, OR GO TO ANY EVENING PARTY, WITHOUT BECOMING AWARE OF THE HORRIBLE FACT THAT MANY WOMEN OF WHOM BETTER THINGS MIGHT BE EXPECTED, HAVE FALLEN INTO THE PERNICIOUS HABIT OF APPLYING TO THEIR SKINS THE ENAMELS WHICH, UNDER VARIOUS ATTRACTIVE NAMES, ARE ADVERTISED AND SOLD IN ALL PARTS OF THE LAND.   

     "NOT ONLY FADED FACES, BUT COUNTENANCES SO YOUNG, PLUMP AND PRETTY IN OUTLINE THAT THEY MUST IN THEIR NATURAL CONDITION BE ATTRACTIVE, ARE LACQUERED OVER WITH AN UNNATURAL POLISH OF FINE PORCELAIN, WHICH PRODUCES AN EFFECT SUCH AS ONE MIGHT IMAGINE IF A CHINA DOLL WERE AFFLICTED WITH THE CONSUMPTION.    

     "THIS PRACTICE IS AS PERNICIOUS AS IT IS DISGUSTING--THE SEEDS OF DEATH OR PARALYSIS BEING HIDDEN IN EVERY POT AND JAR OF THOSE MIXTURES, WHICH ARE SUPPOSED TO BE NOT ONLY INNOCENT, BUT ALSO TO POSSESS THE VIRTUES OF THE UNDISCOVERED FOUNTAIN OF PERPETUAL YOUTH.    

     SOME WHO USE THEM WILL SUDDENLY HAVE A SEVERE ILLNESS; AND RECEIVING A PRIVATE WARNING FROM THE FAMILY PHYSICIAN, WILL CEASE THE USE OF THE CAUSE OF THEIR DISORDER, AND RECOVERING, GO THROUGH LIFE WITH AN EXTREMELY BAD COMPLEXION, AS A REMINDER OF THEIR FOLLY.    

     "OTHERS WILL DROP SUDDENLY, WITH THEIR FEATURES TWISTED ON ONE SIDE, AND PERHAPS DEPRIVED OF THE USE OF THEIR LIMBS. OTHERS WILL DIE OUTRIGHT, NO ONE GUESSING WHY. THE EFFECT ON ANY PARTICULAR PERSON CANNOT BE CALCULATED. WHAT ONE SUFFERS PARALYSIS FROM, MAY KILL ANOTHER OUTRIGHT. THE ONLY SAFETY IS IN HAVING NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY OF THESE BANEFUL PREPARATIONS." 

HR, October 1, 1871