The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-11-06
ny o. W. TRUE, NJ. d.

In the beautiful economy of nature, time has
bern divided into two great dlvisions-lIght aud
darkness The light was pronounced good. but
nowhere has darkness the like word. Still at
the first thought it may seem small s9hlcct to
call attention to in a medical journal but be-
ing well sa atisfied that the hygienoal influence
OF light is not fully understood by the people,
nor the remedial importance properly regarded
by physicians though it is certain that the
light has powerful modifying inliurnce o0 all
The functions OF animal and vegetable life, yet
nevertheless it is big with interest and when
once the attention is called upon to Investigate
its bearing and influence upog us, 1t becomes
interesting simply because, in making up the
quota fot health aud happiness, there is part
Of the =" Vital Stimuli that cannot be suppl
ed in any other way whatever, except by natural
light. The robust may enjoy the play OF the
fall brams of light, lest under the best care in
e1ercise and diet, he will soon begin to fade
and then droop aud die COniine The conva
lescent in the dark aud dreary place, where not
ray of light eau gid the spot, an | what means
has the Sedical professor adequate TO stay the
hydra headed monster--disease--from usurping
the throne again which he has Just been com
PEELED TO abdicate7 The physiological uses of
light are so numerous and important that one Is
almost lost in wonder and astonisiment at its
abuses; knowing that in the organlzed world
ii performs such i'm pcStaat functions as vivl-
flying or vital stimulus. Ii is thought by some
that morning light exercises more beneficial
influence upon the nutrition of animals and
plants than afternoon light but upon this
potnt will not attempt to decide. The in
fuence of solar light upon chemical affinity is
well understood as well as that darkness de-
stroys or stops the action Of chemical change,
aud holds it in abeyance until the witty Jug
power of light is let in upon it again; when, in
many instances, the stimulus is SO great that it
causes instantaneous explosion. This intensity
of action is compared to that of moderate red
heat, some say, very high temperature.
Nor is the influence Of light upon vegetable
nutritive processes of less importance. Sleep OF
plants, that curious phenomenon, is supposed
10 depend upon the absence of light. And a
morbid condition, called etiolation, or want OF
the green color, is observable in plants or veget-
ables which grow in obscure places. This con
dition seems TO be analogous to that called an
Gmia in man, which is sometimes refrrable TO
deprivation of light, probably, however, com
bined with other deleterious causes.
On animal life light acts with no less pow
erful influence in promoting development and
nuttition. Its specific stimulus on the eye can
easily be seen by taking the culprit from his
darkened cell, pale and emaciated, and sud
denly placing him in the light of the MONDAY
sun. The shock is but little less than the elec
trical, when the elements of the heavens are it,
mdCnlucs IElNdllOu VI liSnI ulepOstS u lldC
tivity, imbecility and dormancy. Hence Ed
wards found that he could retard or prevent thu
hatching of the ova Of frogs. And even, too
the tadpole if deprived of solar light, is arres
ted in the process of metamorphosis, ant
grows a tadpole STILL or degenerates into SOM
Kind Of monstrosity. So with human beings, i
priyed of due amount Of Heavens frs
born" run into deformites and monstrosities
which may be seen in the underground of GU
large cities.
Dr. r. T Trail, Hydrop. Encyc., Vol
p. 305, says: "The operation o. light on tn
animal organism has always been recognized a
urging to exercise and increasing the activit
ofboth the bodily aud mental powers, while il
absence orprivation dsposes to Incidence an
obesity" In the investigation of the causes
motion OF animal organism with respect to II
part performed BY light, Prof. Liebig says :
+" From these facts we can draw no other COZ
clusion but this that the intensity Of the Wit
force diminishes with the abstraction of light
that with the approach of night state of equ
librium is established" What is equal then
light to enable the vital force to rise above th
debilitated eqilibrium? Again, in Thompson
Mat. Med. & Anatomy, p 20l, after shov
ing the necessity of light upon vegetables f
their perfect natural maturity, he says at
human being is equally as dependent on the i