To be Sure.

Woodville Examiner, Volume 3, Issue 281, 3 September 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

To be Sure.

“ What kind of material should be used for making jelly cans V' asked the religious editor.

“Is that a conundrum, or do you ask for information ?” enquired the obituary editor. “ It is a conundrum.” “ Then I give it up ; what is it J” “ Why gelatin, of course,"

The Danger of Cosmetics. A young woman employed as a dancer in a travelling company of players died suddenly not many months ago, killed, the physicians said, by the poisoning of her blood from the paints used in making up her face for the stage. It is known that a famous pantomimist died of softening of the brain, induced by the pigment used to give his face its chalky whiteness. The ill effects of such applications are not confined to actors, who use them as the appliances of their business. Young girls “ make up” their faces for the ball-room or the street, whitening the skin, blackening the brows, removing superfluous hair, &c,, by means of antimony, bismuth, white lead, and other poisonous compounds. The poisons do not necessarily kill, though sometimes they produce physical constitutions that may lead to death ; but before middle age they leave the skin dry, yellow and cracked, and induce headaches and dimness of sight. In France still more dangerous methods, it is said, are resorted to for the purpose of improving the complexion. Arsenic is often taken habitually, and belladonna is inserted into the eyes in order to enlarge the pupils, although the victim, while under its effects, is purblind, and runs the risk of becoming blind altogether. The worst agents in propagating these practices are paragraphs and advertisements in the newspapers, recommending cosmetics, depilatories and anti-fat medicines.

A moment’s reflection should teach persons who are inclined to use the latter compounds that a medicine powerful enough to remove the fatty deposits of the body in a week or a fortnight, or even in a somewhat longer time than that, must also destroy the tissues. Death has resulted from their use, and low fevers are not unfrequcntly produced by them. It is said that the actresses in Paris whose only capital is their beauty preserve it by rigorous attention to daily bathing, to exercise and to sleep. Let Australian girls take the hint.