The linguistic root of tzaraath may mean smiting, in comparison with Arabic, in reference to a Talmudical explanation that it serves as a punishment for sin; it is quite possible that tzaraath was a general term for certain types of skin disease, rather than a particular condition, and the Talmud maintains a similar view, arguing that tzaraath referred generally to any disease that produces sores and eruptions on the skin.
Investigations of keratins extracted from wool by reduction hydrolysis and by alkaline hydrolysis showed that their chemical compositions and secondary structures were similar to original wool. The keratin isolates were similar in amino acid, Amides I and II, and secondary structure to each other and to original wool.
The hair shaft made of a protein called keratin is tough and resistant to wear and tear. Eighteen amino acids make up the keratin of which the most abundant is the cysteine. It gives the hair much of its strength. The middle layer of the hair is the cortex. It is made up of polypeptide chains that are cross-linked with each other, by three different types of side bonds.