Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-03-01
WHOLE NO. 1865.


Judge from conversations with ply
sicians upon this subject that many
others have made similar observa-
lions.
"This article was suggested by q
case in my own family. A little boy,
stout and rugged, 10 the enjoyment
of robust health, and accustomed to
constant outdoor exercise, was at
tackled 10 June with q well.marked
tertian ague, of a very severe char
acter. 1t came on whilst in excel
lent health-(no malaria influence as
ordinarily described), and no ague
in the country. He had his usual
food, and in all respects had been
living as he had been accustomed to.
"But, on the day previous to the
first chill he had with other chill
dren, been playing and digging in a
clay bank, and exposed to the direct
rays of the sun, for the greater part
of the day. The bank was yelLoU
clay, the road adjacent was yellow
the reflected light was, of course,
yellow. This ague was cured with
large dose of Quinine.
"Associating this with what had
noticed in sections of country where
ague prevailed. that there was a
peculiar haziness of atmosphere,
showing distinct yellowness ; and
very frequently in the evening md
morning showing itself distinctly
along the fences, drains, and slug
gish water courses, fairly dancing 10
the oblioue rays of the sun, asked
myself the question may we not
here find the caase of ague2
"GoiDg one step further we may
find the same discoloration of skin in
a person who IS about TO have ague,
which becomes confirmed as the
ague becomes confirmed. This yell
lowish.ssllow skin is 40 characteristic
of the disease, that we may frequent
ly pick out she sufferers from agae
by it.
"The reader has before this grasp
ed the solution of the problem &C
cording to this theory. Light when
decomposed has certain rays called
dctinic or chemical, others that have
no chemical action. The dctinic rays
are eminentiy vital, carrying CD
those transformations of matter
which are essential to life, both veg
etable and animal. Cover a plant
with yellow tissue of any kind, aud
it will speedily grow pale and show
that it has been deprived of q vital
stimulant. [ am satisfied from a
limited observation that animal life
would suffer in the same way if sup
piled with nothing but the yellow
rays.
1.-THE photographer employs the
yellow glass or tissue to admit light
to his dark ROOM because yellow
light has no chemical action.
"Now let us make practical APP
plication of these facts. for they are
important facts, if they will not ex-
plain the cause of ague.
"If you have case of disease in
which the stimulating or chemical
rays are injurious, exclude them
from your patient by the use Of
green or yellow curtains to the win :
dows. Thus may persons feel relief
so soon as you have given the green
surroundings, and green medium
for the introduction of light.
"But if your patient needs stimu-
lation give him the direct rays of the
sun-a sun bath. If it is heat that
is wanted use red, but if it is the
chemical force. violet is the color par
excellence.
"There is this about ague-if in
any case you will give your patient
rosy skin, you will get rid of the
ague. Might we not gain something
by rose-oolored or violet surround
ings, as means of cure or of pro.
phylaxis ?"
In the experiment by DR.. PaDza,
the red light was found to be the
stimulant color,as shown by"Joseph"
who found his appetite within a
twenty-four hours under it's influence.
1t had the same influence upon the
gloomy and taciturn patient, who
was found gay and smiling within
three hours.
On the contrary, the blue light was
found to be the claimant ia these
cases of insanity, an effect we should
not have expected considering the
fact that it is the light under which
vegetation is most rapid. The writ
er says with reference to it, "being
the absolute negation OF all excita-
ton, blue light is wonderfully effica.
cious in calming the furious agita-
tons of maniacs."
will conclude this paper with a
quotation from the london Spectator,
on the "Dynamic Power of Light, y
promising that there lie yet q great
deal more than has been dreamed of
in our philosophy:
ga curious discovery has followed
Mr.. Crooks discovery of the dyna.
mic power of light. 1t is this: That
selenium, a metal or metalloid which,
under certain peculiar treatment, ac-
quires very feeble power, even
when kept in the dark, of transmit
ting the electric current, is made, by
exposure to light, conducting
medium for the electric current far
less inadequate, far more perfect
than before. So that q very poor
conductor of electricity becomes a
good conductor of electricity under
the influence of light. In other
words, we suppose, a new dynamic
effect of light-one exerted especial-
ly on the molecular structure of
selenium-has really been discover
ed. Possibly, in the same way,
light may be found to stimulate the
conducting power of the nerves. 1t
is not matter to have an opinion
upon without exact measurements,
but we fancy at least that some OF
our nerves appear to carry messages