Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-03-08
A Blue View Of Blue Glass.

Sometimes it is disease that seizes up
on a community, and smallpox, chol.
era, or the yellow fever, according to
latitude, and the amount of filth indulg-
ed in, decimates the population. Again,
the epidemic takes a moral or religious
form, and we are devastated by reviv-
ais, temperance reforms or some other
fever that affects the moral nature. An
other time there will run through the
country some social or aesthetic malady
a ragge for old china, a passion for
dancing the german, or 3, determination
to get cured of real or imaginary ills by
drinking mineral water, taking a varie-
ty of baths, or eating Graham bread.
There seems to be in human nature a
tendency to act in concert physically,
mentally, and morally. and those peo-
pie who have independence or force
enough to resist the UNIVERSAL impulse
are set down as original or eccentric,
according to theirsp aase and degree OF
their Independent action. aa>5 81 IS
Just now there is q very peculiar
craze abroad known as the ''blae-glass
mania" Gen. PleasOntOn, an older
brother OF the weA-known cavalry Off
Ger of that names has harmless hobby ;
at least, it was harmless so llong as he
kept it to himself.s He got the idea
when, now, OF why does not appear-
that sunlight transmitted through blue
Egla~s has a peculiarly invigorating effect
upon animal and vegetable life. He
sustains it by something that looks like
a scientific theory about the actinic
rays OF the sun, theachemicaI action of
those OF one part ofFthe spectrum, the
development of electricity by the sud
den interruption of all the rays except
the blue one, etc. It is. q theory that
will not bear examination by a real
scientific scholar, but scientific scholars
Il. e not common, and it has a plausible
look, which is sufficient to impress
those who do not comprehend it. But,
apart from his theory, Gen. Pleasonton
processes to have tested the effects Of
light coming through blue glass by a
variety OF experiments. BY covering a
grapery with glass, every eighth pane
of which was blue, he got q vigorous
growth of vines, and abundance of ex-
cellent fruit. Possibly he might have
secuted the same result IL none of the
glass had been blue, but he does not
tell us any thing about that. He tried
d similar experiment with pigs, and
those which were favored with blue
light hourished apace and grew fat.
So did the others, and there was pre-
cious little difference, SO lar as we can
make out.
But the important feature of the al
legged discovery OF General Pleasonton,
and that which has given rise 10 the
mania, is the supposed effect Of light
coming through blue glass gupon The
human system. He claims that it is
peculiarly invigorating, and counter.
acts in this state of man the tendency
to disease and decay. He raises the
hopes that by living in glass. houses,
with a sufficient va1iegation with blue
panes and panels, and sustaining from
the practice of throwing stones at oul
neighbors, we might be free from the
blues, have no occasion for blue pills,
and reach a ripe old age in the full
vigor of all oar faculties. The notion
of the General is certainly a pleasant
one, but we fear it is a delusion. TIC
be sure he gives numerous instances OF
the cure of rheumatism and the Danish.
ment of pains of many sorts BY baskine
in sunlight that came through panes o.
a cerulean hue. But, then, basking in
suhlightaof any kind is beneficial, and
it would not be difficult to get up in.
stances of cures by any process what
ever. Who has not heard of rheu.
matism being cured by carrying horse
chestnuts in the pocket? Let any body
start a notion that q tarred string worn
around the neck will be a sovereign
remedy against catarrh and all the i'll,
that affect tie throat, andin six months
plenty of certificates and testimonial,
can be obtained of the w0udrous cure.
that it has effected. The Imagination
has remarkable curative powers III it.
self, and, besides, a cure that is purely
imaginative is just as good as II other
for the purpose of proving the efficacy
of blue glass or tarred strings.
The blue glass epidemic will have tt
run its course. General Pleasontor
first published his book six years ago.
and now has brought out a new and en-
larged edition. After much writing
and talking he has got the mania start
ed and the importers and dealers in blue
glass are rejoicing at his success. Mean.
tim many people are making them
selves ridiculous by putting blue pane'
into their windows and bathing in the
sunshine with unwonted ardor. We
fancy them carrying the passion to a fan
tastic extent. Perhaps we shall soon bt
trying the salutary effect of looking
through blue-glass tumblers while alb
sorbing the contents. Our food ma
receive imaginary nutritive Propertie'
from being under b~lue-glass covers ant
in blue glass dishes. Next summer WI
may fad people at the sea-shore sun
ming themselves on the sand unde
domes of blue glass. People may hav'
this peculiar tpye of blues" with
severity that will tinge their very blooe
and make them more aristocratic. In
deed we hope the epidemic will be vic
lent and proportionally short. 1t
amusing to see people making fools o
themselves, but it soon grows weari
some, and This blue-glass folly is likel,
to be one Of the most tiresome.-BoS
ton Globe.