THE CAUSES OF BALDNESS.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR., SIE,—Dr. Elkind's letter in the Spectator of August 24th recalls to my mind an article I once read somewhere which illustrates the curious and out-of-the-way knowledge about the causes of baldness possessed by some barbers. A barber had been giving the writer of this article much information about the hair, and then remarked that not long since quite a young man had come into his shop who had lost all his hair. It had come off very suddenly, and for no apparent reason. The barber said, "You have a cat ? " "No," he replied, "we have not a cat in the house." "Then you have a terrier that catches mice, and it comes in contact with your head?" "Yes," said the man, "I have; and its favourite seat is on the top of my arm-chair, close to my head ?" The old barber then explained that his sudden bald- ness was a disease belonging to mice, and could be passed on to human beings by contact with an animal that touched them. Whether there is anything in this or not I cannot say. I only give my recollection of the story, and I cannot even remember where I read it. —I am, Sir, &ea C. M. E.
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