Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-09-04
Causes of Disease Darkness and Dirt.

SOLAR light consists of luminous, chem
ical and caloric rays, and appears to be
almost as important for the well-being of
animal as of vegetable life. With what
unmistakable satisfaction do all the domes-
ticated animals bask in the sunshine In
its brightness and warmth all creatures
seem to revel Yet horses in coal pits and
mines, deprived of its cheering influences,
if otherwise well managed, do not seem
specially liable to any particular diseases.
Young animals deprived of sunlight prob
ably suffer more notably than adults, are
apt to become puny, listless and liable to
scrofulous disorders Human beings liv-
ing in dark dwellings, underneath high
walls where sunlight seldom penetrates,
| become the parents of an unusually large
! proportion of dumb, blind, and idiotic
children. Amongst pigs and poultry we
have observed the depressing influences of
dark abodes In covered yards, shut GU t
from the direct rays of the sun, cattle do
not thrive as well as where they bask
themselves in its cheering rays. During
! several winters we have had under OBJ
/ servation, in one of the midland counties
of England, two contiguous yards of
nearly equal size, capable of holding com
fortably eight or nine two year old Short
horns. The inner is entirely covered with
a lofty glass and slated roof; airy, but not
liable to draughts. The outer has deep,
commodious shed, continuous with the
roof of the covered yard. Both yards
are similarly supplied with water Sue
consecutive winters have fed exactly
alike in each yard. In both they thrive re-
markedly well; but the occupants of the
outer yard albeit they are further from
the barn-door, invariably come out in
spring with better coats and rather more
condition; and this we can ascribe only to
the fact that they enjoy a full share OF
sunshine, from which their fellows in the
inner yard are almost entirely shut out
/ Light, when too abundant or dazzling
is trying to the eyes. The bright glare OF
the suns rays, when reflected from white
cliffs, sandy flats, snow, or even from white
lime stone roads, irritates the eye, and oc-
casionally gives rise to blindness. Some
horsemen object to brightly lighted stables,
on the plea that animals are kept more on
the alert, do not compose themselves, and
cannot rest well. But in stable or kennel
too much light is preferable to too little
By curtains, blinds, or other devices, any
excess can easily be excluded Deficiencies
of light usually prove a cloak to filth. A
dark stable is seldom clean, fresh or airy.
| Solid or liquid excreta are apt to accumu-
late, communicating the air; dust and cob
webs escape observation; the atmosphere,
if not absolutely foul, is generally frouzy
Darkness being favorable for repose, a
dim light is favorable for fattening ami
mails. Thus feeding cattle ought to be
, kept quiet, disturbed only at meal time
and placed in comfortable, rather dark
pens Poultry, examining for the table, fol
a fortnight before being finished off, are
cooped up in dark pens, to which light is
introduced only three or four times daily
at the regular hours Of feeding. NORTH
British AQr6calltlrist