The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-03-22
TIE BLUE GLASS CURE,
Ras II any Real Efficacy e--The Delu-
ai5 sion Rudcly DispelleS.
Eiem Me !Scieatidc Aa.eriean.

In our last issue we reviewed the al.
legged capabilities of sunlight filtered
through blue glass in causing piants Ia
grow, &c, and by reference to numerous
experiments we reached the conclusion
that The light transmitted through the
violet-blue glass is nothing more than
normal sunlight diminished in intensity.
We propose in the following to finish our
discussion by examining into ssh.ie effects effect
of light and darkness On organisms, and
we may especially here recall the fact
that Gen. Pleasonton claims that not
only does the blue glass stimulate growth,
but that it ia positive remedial agent
for such severe ailments as spinal menin.
gifts, nervous irritation and exhaustion,
rheumatism, hoHlorrhage of the lungs,
deafness, partial paralysis, shcck due to
severe c,ntusion, and others, Of oil of
which he cites cases.
The theory that various colorcd lights
exercise different effects on the human
system is an old one. In 1881, Dr.. New
berry, of this city, asserted that yellow
light stimulates the nervous, pink the
nutritiyc, and blue the locomotive tenn
permanent. And recently DR.. Ponga, an
Italian physician, has asserted that luna
tics are greatly affected by being placed
in different colored rooms. Red light,
DIR. Ponza says, removes feelings of de.
precision, blue light induces calmness, and
by violet light q crazy person was ip one
day cured 49,, .a.8,.,i.- -,r,
1t is thoroughly demonstrated fact
that light is an important vital stimulant; {;
and that, if its operation be excluded, the
development of the healthy bodily struct-
uFe is arrested. Naturalists tell us that
in the absence of light the transformation
of o tadpole into frog is stopped, anA
the reptile remains Q tadpole. Plants IL
darkness become blanched and stunned
in growth, the process of fixing the ear
bon in their tissues is arrested, modifi-
cation of the coloring principle stakes
place, and they appear white instead Of
green. The sad affects or deprivation of
sunlight are especially observable among
those who live i'll crowded alleys or
cellars, or who work in mines, where the
light Of the sun seldom or never pene-
trates. The total exclusion of the suns
beams produces an impoverished and dis
ordered state Of the blood, emaciation,
muscular debility. and the diseases due
to imperfect nutrition.
On the other hand, it is known that
for certain purposes darkness or shaded
light is advantageous to the Bodily con.
dition. Fowls, for instance, may be fat
tened much moro rapidly in the dark,
aud it would seem that the absence Of
light exercises very great influence over
the power possessed by food in increas.
ing the size of animals. It likewise
seems to exercise soothing and quieting
influence, increasing the. disposition Of
animals to take rest, making less food
necessary, and causing them to store up
more nutrimcnt in the form of fat and
muscle. Now, if the organism to be
treated is subjected to light. all of which
is filtered through blue violet glass, then,
as we have previously demonstrated, it 10
in light which is considerably shaded.
And very probably to this cause-aud
not all to the peculiar hue of the light
is to be attributed the quieting influence
on nervous and insane people which DIR.
Ponza has remarked. -4ii Il.
violet glass alone. On the contrary, he
employs combination of blue-light and
pure sunlight, the latter very much pre-.
ponderating. In his grapery, for exam .
pie, cnly every eighth row of panes is
blue. The mingled light consequently is
merely pure sunlight, very slightly
shaded, and the animal or plant EXPOSED
simply takes O sun -bath--the sokarium of
the ancients, who, knowing the viyifying
influences of the sunbeams, had terraces
built on the tops of their houses 80 that
they might bask in them.- This sun treat.
ment is now frequently recommended by
physicians for nervous diseases. DIR.
Hammond, in one of his lectures, saws |:
I'm conyalescence, from almost ali dis
eases it acts, unless too intense or too
long continued, as most healthful etin,.
ulant, both to the nervous and physical
systems. The deli.
rum and weakness, by no means eeldom
met with in convaiescents kept in dark
ness, disappear like magic when the rays
of the sun are allowed to enter the cham
ber." iia H4t ,l III
To recapitulate in brief, Gen. P,eason-
tons claims of any superior powers for
blue glass on account of the color which
it produces in transmitted light, arc,
when tested by the result of previous in
vestigatious, unfounded In some In
stances; where it is desirah,e to reduce
the intensity of the light, blue glass may
be used; but any other mode of shading
the light, as by ground glass, thin cur.
tains, &C., would without doubt serve
equally rs sfell. The cures produced are
ascrlbable to two CAUSES First, to the
healthy influence of the sunbath and
secondly, to the very powerful influence
Of the patients imagination. There are
abundant cases known where imagination
has so powerfully affected the body as to
cause death. i .,e- .a..'. '7.'-
Experiments upon criminals have
shown that in one instance, where per-
son was placed in i bed which, he was
informed, had just been vacated by d
cholera- patient (but which had not,} he
exhibited all the symptoms of that dis
ease. = Another person is reported to
have shown all the signs of collapse from
loss of blood from the suppositious .dea
that he was bleeding to death. AS re-
CARDS che amimais .fattened Under the
glass, all circumstances 60 to show chat
the result was due to their forced quies-
cerce, their shelter from the weather, and
their free exposure TO the sun.
IL Is hardly necessary to hdd that, in
'vocated by General Pleasonton, is leyoid
of benefit. f13
Nor a .CHIcKEN.--At precisely two
',,.ock by the bells the other morning o
policeman who was walking up Beaubien
street caught sight Of negro who was
skulking, along q fence md he called