around the eye were so swollen that she was unable to open her eye. The following day her temperature was said to be 104, and she consulted a physician, who gave her a mixed strepticoccus and stapyhlococcus vaccine and applied wet dressings of magnesium sulphate. Thes inflammatory reaction of the right side of the face extended and the temperature ranged between 102 and 104. Wet dressings of boric acid were used and ointment of yellow mercuric oxide was instilled in the conjunctival sac. The patient was seen by us for the first time during the evening of March 13, 1934, 8 days after the onset. On examination at 8 p. m. the patient appeared to be extremely ill. The temperature was 103.4, pulse 134, respiration 36. She was clear mentally and did not complain of pain, but she said that she felt completely exhausted. The skin over the right side of the forehead and cheek was red, but not tense and glistening. The upper lid of the right eye was covered with a deep sloughing ulcer with much yellowish adherent exudate. The palpebral conjunctiva of the upper and lower lids showed complete ulceration of a deep character. The conjunctival sac was filled with a yellowish, tenacious exudate that could be removed only with difficulty. As this exudate was removed, a bleeding base was left on the ulcerative areas on the inner surfaces of the lids. There There was some injection of the globe, and the ocular conjunctiva was slightly chemotic. The cornea was hazy in sort of a striped manner, but no real break could be made out after using fluorescein. The pupils were equal and reacted consensually to light and in accommodation. The eyegrounds were negative in the left eye. It was impossible to examine the fundus of the right eye. was no apparent proptosis of the right eye. The preauricular glands were palpable. The lymph glands on the right side of the neck in the anterior region, particularly just below the mandible, were greatly enlarged. The nose, throat, and teeth were normal. The area of cardiac dullness was within normal limits, sounds were clear and no murmurs were heard. The rhythm was normal, the rate 136, the blood pressure 114 systolic, 76 diastolic. Respiration was rapid and somewhat shallow. There was no odor of acetone. The percussion note was everywhere resonant, breaths sounds were roughened, but no râles were heard on quiet breathing or following expiratory cough. The abdomen was entirely negative on palpitation except for what appeared to be an ovarian cyst on the right side about the size of a grapefruit, which was not tender on pressure. There was no edema of the dependent parts or the extremities. All superficial and deep reflexes were moderately exaggerated. Kernig and Babinski's signs were negative and there was no neck rigidity. Aside from the face and neck the skin was clear, there being no evidence of petechiae, purpura, or uticaria. The lashes of the right eye were clipped and potassium permanganate irrigations and hot compresses were used. Atropine and mercuric oxycyanide instillations were also used. The patient failed to respond to general supportive measures such as digifolin and hypodermoclysis, and died at 11:30 p. m., just 3 hours after our first examination. No autopsy could be obtained. COMMENT It is with some hesitation that we report this case, owing to lack of laboratory data. A conjunctival culture was made, which showed a pure growth of staphylococcus aureus. Blood counts and blood cultures were ordered, but the patient died before the specimens could be obtained. The active principle in "Lash-Lure" is an aniline dye, the members of this group being capable of producing a violent allergic response in susceptible individuals. Plucking the eyebrow before application would furnish multiple portals of entry for the dye equivalent to multiple skin test applied to a small area. There is no doubt that the patient's illness was brought about as a violent local and systemic allergic response. It is not clear, however, why this should have caused death 8 days later unless a secondary septic invasion, probably some form of streptococcus, is assumed. The appearance in no way suggested erysipelas, and there was no evidence of cavernous sinus thrombosis or involvement of the nervous system. With the growing evidence to show the disastrous effects resulting from the application of "Lash-Lure" and similar aniline dye preparations in "beauty treatments", some way should be found to prevent their use. Mr. CHAPMAN. What other products does that company manufacture? Miss EMME. It manufactures a line of cosmetics. Mr. CHAPMAN. Before we get to that, I call your attention to an article in the American Medical Association Journal, January 27, 1934, describing a case. It is an article by Charles T. Moran, of Arkansas City, Kans., entitled "Bilateral Necrosis of the Cornea Following the Use of French Hair Dye ", and in that article he goes on and cites the case of the report on April 15, 1933, of a woman who used Godefroy French hair tonic. It says that it contains paraphenylediamine, a coal tar. Is that the same product to which you refer? Miss EMME. Larieuse? Yes, sir. Mr. CHAPMAN. Immediately following the use of this preparation, the American Medical Association Journal says, the eyes began to itch. Dr. Moran was consulted 3 days later. At that time inflammation of the delicate membrane that lines the eyelids and covers the eyeball was inflamed. And he goes on to tell the story which is that ulcers developed, and all of this trouble, and practically ruined the eye. Now, that product you say is still being manufactured by this company in your city? Miss EMME. May I ask, Mr. Chairman, was it used as an eyelash dye? Mr. CHAPMAN. Perhaps it was. Miss EMME. It does not state in there. Mr. CHAPMAN. If it was, do you still have it on the market and use it in beauty shops? Miss EMME. It is a hair dye. It is manufactured. The CHAPMAN. Do you think that it ought to be put on the market? Miss EMME. I do. Mr. CHAPMAN. A product like this? Miss EMME. Yes. Mr. CHAPMAN. What other products does that company manufacture? Miss EMME. It manufactures hair preparations. Mr. CHAPMAN. What, for instance? Miss EMME. It manufactures a hair tonic. Mr. CHAPMAN. Does it manufacture a preparation called "Ovloff"? Miss EMME. Yes, sir. Mr. CHAPMAN. What does it contain, and what is it good for? Miss EMME. I am sorry; I cannot tell you the ingredients in the product. I do know that it is an oily-hair correctant. Mr. CHAPMAN. It is a what? Miss EMME. Oily-hair correctant. Mr. CHAPMAN. Correctant of oily hair? Miss EMME. Yes. Mr. CHAPMAN. That is, by some kind of a salient process that has a tendency to destroy the oil or make the hair less oily. Miss EMME. No; it does not do that. Mr. CHAPMAN. What does it do, then? Miss EMME. It is also used as a dry shampoo. It is a product which when applied to the hair leaves a substance which, when brushed, takes with it the oil from the hair. Mr. CHAPMAN. I wonder if that substance could happen to be salt? Miss EMME. I think there is salt in that preparation; yes, sir. Mr. CHAPMAN. Well, do you know whether or not it has ever been analyzed by the chemical laboratory of the American Medical Association and found to be essentially a solution of salt and water and a little perfume? Miss EMME. I do not. Mr. CHAPMAN. Well, I understand that is correct. What does that sell for? Miss EMME. It sells for $1 a package-per bottle. Miss EMME. Yes, sir. Mr. CHAPMAN. Don't you think that is right high for a bottle of salt water with a little dash of perfume? Miss EMME. I do not feel, Mr. Chairman, that I am competent to answer that, since I do not know the ingredients in that product. Mr. CHAPMAN. Have you anything further to add, Miss Emme? Miss EMME. I have nothing further. Mr. CHAPMAN. Well, we are so glad to have had you here, and appreciate your contribution to the evidence on the subject. STATEMENT OF CHARLES BARBAN, 2218 EAST FIFTEENTH STREET, BOROUGH OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, N. Y. Mr. CHAPMAN. Dr. Barban. Mr. BARBAN. Yes, sir. Mr. CHAPMAN. Will you state your name in full, and your place of residence, and your business address, your profession or business, and for whom you speak at this hearing? Mr. BARBAN. My name is Charles Barban. I am a consulting chemist and a chemical engineer, licensed as a professional engineer by the State of New York, holding certificate no. 737 under date of May 2, 1922. I reside at 2218 East Fifteenth Street, Borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, and maintain offices for the practice of my profession at 280 Madison Avenue in the city of New York. I am a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Society of Professional Engineers, and a fellow of the American Institute of Chemists. I was graduated from the College of the City of New York in 1917, where I specialized in chemistry. From 1916 to 1918 I was employed as an analytical and research chemist by the H. A. Metz Enterprises. In the early part of 1918 I entered the Government service as a chemist, was promoted, respectively, through the grades of assistant chemical engineer, chemist grade 2, and chemical engineer grade 1; assistant chief of the division of chemistry, allied of the Ordnance Salvage Corps; consultant to the War Department Claims Board, to the technical advisory section of the War Department Claims Board and of the matériel section of the General Staff. Since my resignation from the service, I have devoted myself wholly to the field of cosmetics. That work has taken, Mr. Chairman, more than a study of reports submitted by officials and quasiofficial boards. I do not believe that it would be far from an accurate statement to say-and I hope you will forgive me, because I do not want to appear immodest-that there is no other single individual who has had as complete a picture of the cosmetics industry as your speaker, through the activities of analytical work; the products that were taken apart; the development of formula of synthesis of products; the research developing of new uses and improvements in production; the factory production and preparation of specifications for equipment. Those are some of the fields of activity limited to the technical branch, to which must be added quite an extensive experience in the field of chemical jurisprudence where as consultant to counsels in litigation and to large assurance companies, I have had rather wide and interesting experience in that field. Then again, I have been retained by such governmental agencies as the health department of the city of New York, and it is an open secret, I think, and no violation of confidence when I state that the agencies of the Federal Trade Commission are constantly visiting my offices for the purpose of consulting with reference to advice in the field of cosmetics, and they have even gone into the field of coffee. So you see, gentlemen, that this experience has been rather wide in the field. I am well aware of all of the charges which have been made against cosmetics, the abuses to which you refer; the famous Lash Lure case, and I might interpret here that I think no other individual in the country did as much as your speaker in stopping the sale of Lash Lure. Mr. CHAPMAN. Pardon me, Doctor. It is still being sold, is it not, however? Mr. BARBAN. Yes; it is being sold; but I say what we did was all that could be done under the law, and in a large measure destroyed the wide distribution of that product, and I will show you how. Mr. CHAPMAN. Do you not think, then, we need additional authority under the law so that we can take it off of the market? Mr. BARBAN. Undoubtedly. Mr. CHAPMAN. And prevent other ladies from having their eyesight destroyed and beauty ruined by using it? Mr. BARBAN. Undoubtedly. I am with you, Mr. Chairman. I recommended that course of procedure which resulted in the enactment of an ordinance in the city of New York which banned not only Lash Lure, but any amine used for that purpose, and it may interest you gentlemen to know why. Right after Lash Lure made its appearance on the market, some samples came into my office. They were immediately subjected to an analysis and they revealed some very interesting data. The Chief of the Drug Division here stated in answer to a question by one of the members of your committee, which was quite appropriate to the subject, why if Lash Lure is so widely sold would there not be more cases, and received an answer that there was a question of supersensitivity or idiosyncracy. That is that there was an abnor mal variation in the individual which made her or him react different from the vast majority of people. But, so far as Lash Lure is concerned, that was only the partial answer. Would it interest you to know, gentlemen, that I found in Lash Lure 60 to 70 times the required concentration used in hair dyes where amines are employed? Would it further interest you if I told you that the amine used in Lash Lure was of an impure contaminated grade, the type of product used commercially in fur dyeing? Mr. CHAPMAN. Thank you for that information. Now, DoctorMr. BARBAN. Yes. Mr. CHAPMAN. What about the effect of the amine that you classify as being of a contaminated grade? Would there be any danger in using that for a similar purpose? Mr. BARBAN. For eyebrow and eyelash dyes? Mr. CHAPMAN. Yes. Mr. BARBAN. Yes; for this reason: The result achieved by the use of that type of a product, it is just not justified, especially in view of the fact that there are other products, such as Silver Salts, for instance, which are permitted under the law. Mr. CHAPMAN. Well, what is the danger in using silver or lead, or products like them, in these articles you speak of? Mr. BARBAN. That opens a very interesting question, Mr. Chair man. If you will permit me to go into it, I think it will dispel a lot of erroneous opinions with regard to the use of lead or silver in haircoloring preparations. Mr. CHAPMAN. We will be glad to have you do so, but before you go into that let me ask you this: In what way does that paraphenylediamine affect the hair? Mr. BARBAN. The hair? Mr. CHAPMAN. Yes. Now, that is in these products, like Larieuse? Mr. BARBAN. That is right. Mr. CHAPMAN. In what way does it affect the hair; does it coat the hair or really impregnate the hair itself? Mr. BAKBAN. It both impregnates and coats the hair. Mr. CHAPMAN. Does it penetrate and go right into the hair? Mr. CHAPMAN. Well, is not that an injurious thing to put on the hair? Mr. BARBAN. No, sir; because this is the point I want to make clear to you: You see, these amines used in hair dyes are there for a definite purpose. No other possible ingredients have been found in all of the years of development that yield so acceptably and efficiently as colors as these amine compounds. Mr. CHAPMAN. I could have no personal interest whatever in hair dye, but there are a lot of people who have. That is what I am seeking this information for. Mr. BARBAN. Would it interest you to know, Mr. Chairman, that 8,000,000 heads of hair are dyed annually with amines in the United States alone? Mr. CHAPMAN. What percentage of injurious results are there among those 8,000,000? |