Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-07-22
THE VITALIZING EFFECTS OF
EXPOSURE TO SUNSHINE.

attably Saluted the philosopher, ana aSket
if he could do him any service.
Only stand little out of my sun
shine" replied Diogenes. Diogenes was
then seventy years old, and his sunshine
nav have been the cause of his long life
AT any rate, the wise men Of this gener-
alton are fast coming to regard sunlight
as remarkable curative agent. A late
writer in the SaRtdriGR discusses the
subject as follows:
DR.. Winslow, in his suggestive volume
on Light, It's Influences on Life and
Health" thus summarizes the pathology
cal effects of marked deprivation OF
solar light: ut NAV be enunciated as an
indiSputable fact that all who hive and
pursue their calling in situations lacking
light. suffer seriously in bodily and men
tai health. This is observed among those
confined in dark mines and oolheries,
holds of ships, factories, prisons, narrow
streets, garretS, or cellars. The total
exclusion of the suns beams induces an
impoverished state Of the blood, muscular
debility, drOpsical effusion, soAening Of
the bones. nervous excitability, irritable
ity of the heart, loss of appetite, con-
sumption, physical deformity, stunted
growth, mental impairment, premature old
age
By Investigations carefully made as to
the health of the miners in Belgium and
IL -, ,.,,,,tr,eo ~ Was ShOWn
that in the ACCOMPLISHMENT Of Chemay,
where part of the inhabitants are en-
ploved in the fields and the rest in the
coal-mines, the field laborers readily fur
nish their proper quota Of military re-
cr,,its, while among the miners IT Is rare To
find a man who Is eligible for army duty.
Il is true that these morbid conditions
may be largely smehorated or entirely
removed by free and constant exposure
TO light, especially if the remedy IS ap-
piled while the sufferer Is still Young.
tourcault gives an illustration Of this
in the case Of a number Of orphan girls
suffering from chronic diseases, whose
condition was much helped by simply
removing several large mulberry trees,
which had prevented the free exposure Of
their school room 10 the fun light OF the
sun.
Regarding sunlight for children, DR..
Winslow saws: 1T Is Systematically ig
nored at the period of life when it Is OF
the highest importance II should be
brought TO bear upon the publication Of
the blood. and consequent healthy deyel-
opment Of organic structures. Children,
even at an early age. should not be ex-
cluded from the influence Of the sun.
Great benefit, he further says, would
accrue from giving children solar air baths
that Is, permitting them to lie naked
upon the bed or floor, free from the en-
cumbrance Of clothes, 50 that their bodies
may be thoroughly brought under the
influence Of good air and bright sunlight. ~
The children Of SayageS, as well as ne
groes, who are often allowed to run about
in the open air. freely exposed TO the
influence of the light, have finely devel-
oped muscular structures, and generally
enjoy robust health.
The testimony Of Alexander Won Hum
b0ldt affords additional confirmation OF
this fact: "Deformities and deviations
from healthy physical development are
exceedingly rare IN certain races Of men,
especially those who have the skin strong
" colored, and who wander about naked
under the brilliant light OF the tropical
regions. These have muscular, feshy
bodies, rounded contours, and present
none Of the deformities so frequently OBJ
served among the inhabitants Of other
climates
Among the disadvantages of deficient
sunlight may be noted an increased sus-
ceptibility TO contagious diseases. Sir
David Brewster observes that in cholera
years, It was invariably found that the
deaths were more numerous in narrow
streets and northern exposures, where the
Salutary beams Of light and actinism had
seldom shed their benehcent influences.
In view of the deplorable effects of the
deprivation of sunlight upon the normally
healthy, the consequences of a like pm
walton in the case of the sick may rea-
sonably be supposed to be very serious.
On this point, DR.. Hammond says, in his
treatise on hygiene: Il shall never forget
the appearance presented by the sick OF
regiment l inspected in Western Viz
ginia. They were crowded into a small
room, from which the light was shut out
by blinds Of india-ubber cloth. Pale
and exsanguined, ghost Ike looking forms,
they seemed to be scarcely mortal. Con-
valeScence was almost impossible, and
doubtless many of them died who, had
they been subject to the operations OF the
simplest laws of nature, would have re-
covered. In convaleScence from almost
all diseases, light acts, unless too intense
or too long continued, as a most healthful
stimulus both 70 the nervous and physical
systems. The evil effects Of keeping
such inyahds in obscurity are frequently
shown. The delirium and weakness which
are by no means seldom met with IN con-
valeScents kept in darkness, disappear
Ike magic when the rays Of the sun ar
allowed 70 enter the chamber. Wounds
heal with greater rapidity when the light
j. allowed to reach them than when they
are kept continually covered.
This case Is reported by DR.. Smith, as
treated al Bellevue Hospital: "A young