Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-03-21
The EFFECT OF LIGHT ON LUNATICS.

The EFFECT OF LIGHT ON LUNATICs.-Dr.
popza, director OF the lunatio asylum at Ales
sardria, Piedmont, having conceived the idea
that the solar rays might have some curative
mower 10 diseases of the braio, communicated
his views to Father Secchl, OF Rome, who re-
rllsd 10 the following terms: "fEe idea OF
studyiDg the disturbed state OF lunatics in oou-
uec,iou With magnetic perturbatioos and with
,he c,lored, especially violet, light of the sun,
i Of remarkable importance, and consider it
v,r,h being cultivated" Such light is easily
obtaioed by fIteriug the solar rays through
s,a,s OF that color "Vioiet." adds Father
S,cchi, has something melancholy aud de-
pres,ive abou it, which, physiologcally, causes
low spirits; hence, no doubt, poets have drap'
ed melancholy 10 violet garments. Perhaps
violet light may calm the nervous excitement
OF unfortunate manlacs.
He then, in his letter, advises DIR. Ponza to
., rtorm his experiments iu rooms, the walls or
which are painted of the same color as the
glass paues of the windows, which should be as
numerous as possible, in order to favor the
action OF solar light, 80 that it may be admls"
sibe at any hour OF the day. The patients
east and to the south, aud painted and glazed
a. above. Dr.. Popzs, following the instruc-
lions of the learned Jesuit, prepared several
rooms 10 the manner described and kept sever
al patients there under observation. Ooe OF
them, affected with morbid taciturnity, became
gay and affable after three hours stay 10 q red
chamber. Another, q maniac. who refused all
food, asked for some breakfast after having
stayed twepty-four hours 10 the same red
chamber. In blue one highly excited mad.
man, with a straight waist coat on Was Kept all
day; an hour alter he appeared much oaimer.
The action OF blue light is very intense on
the optic nerve, and seems to cause sort OF
oppression. A patient was made to pass the
night 10 violet chamber: Oh the following
day he begged DR.. Pouza to send him home,
because be felt himself cured, and indeed be
has been we'll ever since.s DR.. Puoza's oonclu
sioDs from his experiments are these: The
violet rays are, of all others, those that possess
the most intense electro-ch emcal power; the
red light is also very rich in calorhc rays; blue
light, 90 the contrary, is quite devoid OF them,
IS we'll as of chemical and electric ones LIS
beue6oent influence s hard to explain; IS 1t Is
the absolute uegation of all excitement, 1t sue
Deeds admirably in calming the tunou. e1-
citemeut of maniacs. ."-1Hdnckester ECamncr.
A RECENT VIsIToR's ACCOUNT OF THE
BLACK HuLs.-The Salt Lake Tribune, Feb
ru4ry II, says: From Mr.. Wagner, who re-
turoed from the Black Hills on Friday, we OBJ
tanned few items of interest concerning that
great centre of attraction. Mr.. Wagner left
Custer City the FIRST of last week, making the
trip from that place to Cheyenne 10 the unpre-
cedented time Of four days aud halt. he re-
ports meeting hundreds of goldseekers 'ck-
lug in from all sections Of the Uolon. and says
Custer City i, their present objective point.
The couotry is we'll tlmbered, well Watered,
the soil exceeding rich and will support large
population. The winter thus far has been CON-
paratively mild and prospecting has been car
rled 90 to considerable extent. -Four saWmllS
are now busily employed IN making lumber
Whioh commands from forty dollars to nifty dol
lars per thousand. Buildings are golng, up
rapidly 10 Custer, some five or slx hundred
houses Of every description being already up
aud 10 course Of erection. The stampede, how
ever, is for the northern portion OF the terri
tory, even as high up as the Yellowstone,
where rich diggings are said to exist M.
Wagner has purchased and also located lots in
Custer, where be intends erecting building
for hotel purposes, furniture for which he has
ordered from this city and Omaha. He will
return on the s h of nex, month to remain per-
msneuty. From the present rush IN that dl-
IectioD he thinks fully one hundred thousand
people will 90 into the Hills this year.
A APYaMY GRAVEYARD IN TENNESSEE. An
auc'eut graveyard Of vast proportions has been
found iu Coffee county. 1t is similar to those
found 10 White county and other places in
Middle 'unessee, but is vastly more extensive,
and shows that the race of pygmies who once
inhabited this country were very numerous.
lhe same pecuarities OF position observed 10
the White ,ouuty graves are fouud in these.
lhe writer of the letter ys:-"Some conslde'
rable excitement and curiosity took place few
days SINCE near Hisboro, Coffee county, on
James Browns farm. A mao was ploughng
lu held which had been cultivated many years,
aud ploughed up man skull and other bones.
Alter makug further examination they touud
that there were about sig acres 10 the grave
yard. They were buried 10 sitting or stand
lug position The bones show that they were
dwarf tribe of people, about three feet high.
l, IS estimated that there were about $4,000 to
lo0OoO buried there. This shows that this
e'untry was inhabited hundreds Of years ago
-boodbur y, Tenn Press
NECK VERSUS FEET AND WRISTS. Livery
ooe must remark that tsvorte article OF WHO.
Ter clothing for children is comforter swathed
round the neck. This is great error the
ise' aud the wrists are the proper members to
keep warm the face aud throat will harden
lo'o healthy indifference to cold but that muf
ae' exchanged for an extra pair of thick socks
tg'oVes would preserve a boy or girl really
hatm aud we'll. Bronchitis and s,re throat
nave declined fifty per cont since the absurd
use OF high collars and twice round neckerchiets
went went Out of fashion aod if the poor would take
Sller Seller care OF their childrens feet half the in
.Aau1e mortality would disappear. 1t ooly costs
,.'s'ne ,.ne to put piece of thick felt or cork into
!. ;ue oottom of a boot shoe. and the difference
"vl'eo w., considerable between that and doc.
I'll a. ~