The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-02-20

we nave Deen COl0 Oy some cOnSumpCIVeS tASL
one of the best prescriptions we have made has
been their removal from q north room to the
sunny south chamber. As we write, two cases
come to mind, strikngly illustrative of the suns
benign influence. We had been attending at an
orphan asylum, girl about IL years old, who
had been long ill OF severe typhoid fever. She
was wholly FRUSTRATED in mind and body, and
emaciated to the last degree 1t was plain that
she was falling into that depressed condition of
all the powers of life that SO often precedes con.
sumption. Day after day we visited her, but all
recuperative power seemed lost.
Half dead and alive the little creature neither
spoke nor moved, and ate only on compulsion.-
One day, on our way to visit her, we felt that
elastic thrill which the warm rays of the sun
impart in the carly cool weather Of spring We
Involuntary leaped along, and were instantly
struck with the fact that virtue had gone out
Of U.S." when we left behind us the sunlight and
warmth Of the street, and entered that northern
chamber, the dormitory of the poor orphan. That
inspiring influence the invalid had not expert.
enced in the slightest degree during the whole of
her sickness, as owing to its peculiar situation,
not ray Of direct sunlight had ever entered the
chamber. We are shocked and for the first time
considered the depth of her loss, and our own re-
missness in regard to her. The air of the room
had been pure, the ceilings of the inirmary were
lofty, the attendants had been faithful and saga
cious. Nothing seemed lacking, in fact to restore
health. Yet it did not come. On the contrary
there seemed to be constant downward tend
ency. "a sun-bath in the warm rays of this
delicious spring day is what this girl needs" we
instantly said to the sister superior. This lady
gladly consented to the change, and placed the
patient in another room, having a southern as
pect, and constantly filled with sunlight The
invalid Immediately recognized the change, and
asked in her weak way, to have the curtains
raised so as to let in the full blaze of the light
Soon she wanted to sit up, and directed that the
easy chair, in which she was propped up, should
be SO placed as to allow her face to be exposed to
the direct rays of the sun. 1t was the natural
tendency of disease, seeking for all life-renevat-
ing influences. q And we have never met with SO
marked or so rapid improvement as Immediately
began in the body and mind of the girl. Appe.
tite and strength increased daily, and with them
burst forth all the oyousne,s Of the child heart
Another analogous case, which, although we do
net demonstrate by it the influence of the sun
alone, we cannot forbear to name, because by
such examples We impress perhaps on the minds
of our readers the real principles underlying the
whole question. A lady aged about thirty, resi-.
dent in the northern part of New England, con-
suited us for undoubted tubercular disease of the
lungs. Her house was well situated, and on the
side toward the south was n small piazza resting
on stone steps, which was raised two or three
feet above the ground. The winter was ap-
preaching and rules were to be given. Having
full faith in these divine influences Of pure air
and sunlight, we directed that she should sit
out on this piazza every day during the winter,
unless it was too stormy. 1t was SO arranged as
to shut out the cool air on three sides, and to
admit the full blaze of sunlight in front. Here,
by our directions, she used to sit wrapped in
fars, reading or writing for several hours each
day during the following winter, and with most
excellent results She was directed frequently
to make deep inspirations, in order to fill the
lungs with pure air. She was never chilled,
because the suns rays and her warm clothing
prevented it. She never 90 took cold" there. On
the contrary, the balmy influences exerted upon
her by her daily sun and air bath were so CRATE
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