, 1881-08-19


although they came into use, We might
say, involuntarily, y,-certainly without
reference to any connection with visible
phenomena Thus we speak of the heat
of passion, and it is not to be supposed
that the word heat was used because
passion produces both heat and redness.
We speak of 1.-THE warmth of love, IA
warm, loving heart. etc, and we know
that these sensations always tend to ac-
celerate the hearts action, anu conse-
auently produce heat and color. We
speak of the Goodness" of reason. Also
of the flashing of the eye, thus
associating the words light, nerve,
fash. All these ideas are singularly con-
tirmed by the finer sight of certain
sensitive nerves. The experiments OF
! Won Reichenbach are, perhaps best
| known in this connection. Sensitive
persons actually see certain colOrs en-
| anating from the body, and these colors
as described by them with approximate
uniformity correspond with the recOG-
/ niZed principles of anatomy. They see
! blue coming from the forehead, where
the reasoning powers of the BRAIN, are
supposed to center; yellow, green and
white, exquisitely blended over the top
of the head, supposed by phrenoioglsts
to represent the devotional nature; and
dark red from the base of the brain,
where both anatomy and phrenology
place the animal part of our natures.
However much or little Importance Is
attached to these visions of sensitive peo-
pie, thay are, at least, very interesting,
as being exactly in the line of the general
effects of light and color already limited
at.
The next step in the consideration OF
color, IS to suppose that the effect of any
substance may be known in some degree
by its color. That this is largely true,
may be shown by numerous examples.
First, however, a word is necessary as to
the manner of estimating Il color, since
many things are transparent. 1t is done
by the spectrum. The substance being
burned, the prevailing spectrum tlnts
are taking as its predOminatlng color.
Now take few examples:
commencing with red, we ind in the
words of the Q. S. Dispensatory:-
Cayenne Pepper-fruit scarlet, some
times yellow orange-effect, arterial
stimulant and rubefacient.
Bromine-red liquid, caustic, irritant.
Iron-preparations are mostly redish,
and the effects are tonic to the arterial
system.
Aleohol-red from its hydrogen (which
gives red spectrum ines) and certainly
stimulant.
Many other examples are given, but
these are enough to show the general di-
rection of Dr. Babbitt's investigation.
Take yellow and orange, and we find
also u singular unanimity of color and
effect Anything which stimulates the
nerves, as we'll as the circulation, will
produce the effects known as emetic,
cathartic, diuretic, diaphoretic, ETC., ac-
cordingly We have:-
Lobelia-yellowish liquid, emetie, ca
thartic, diphoretic.
Indian Hemp-yellowish brown,
umetic, cathartic, diIretie.
Tartar Emetic-yellow, orange and
red ID the spectra of its elements -emetic,
cathartic, diuretie, diaphoretie.
Coloquth, flowers and ripe fruit, yell
Iowa powerful hydragogue cathartic.
Castor oil, yellowish- cathartic.
Sulphur, yellow-Laxative diaphore-
tic.
The more red is mixed with yellow the
more violent becomes the cathartic ac-
ton. For example,
Gambage, reddish orange-Powerful
drastic catbartic.
Croton oil, varies from pale yellow to
tic.
Rhubarb, yellow, with reddish brown
tinge-Cathartic and astringent.
Let these examples suffice for yellow
and red. Take few from substances of
blue color. If the same principles holds
good, we may expect to find from blue
substances such effects as are indicated
by the words, asIringent, refrigerent,
febrifuge, sedative. Accordingly we find
our old friend-aconite, flowers violet
blue-a powerful nervous sedative and
anodyne; long familiar to us as an arterial
sedatiye.
Belladonna, combines yellow, red and
purple in its plant, or spectra, and is
therefore both stimulating and sedative.
Acids-Most of the acids have blue,
} indigo, or violet spectra, and are refrig-
Grant and astringent.
Ergot-Violet brown, yellowish white,
violet, powerfully astringent.
So much for the general significance
of color. AS to its effect upon animal
and vegetable growth. few words will
show the general ideas.
1t has been found by experiments by
Robert Hunt, Charles Lawson, and
} others, that termination of seed Is more
rapid under actinic or electrical rays,
that is, under blue and violet light
J without any yellow or red, than in ordi,
nary sunlight or in the dark. In Law
J sons experiments. seeds, which before
} had germinated in eight to fourteen
) days, urder blue glass terminated in two
to five days.
Also that yellow light prevented
J termination.
Prof. Hunt says that red light pro.
J duces rapid evaporation from the soil
aud surface of the plant,-by its increase
of heat. 1t retards growth. and turns
the leaves reddish brown, and this even
if the plant be given extra water.
General Pleasanton placed one line OF
blue panes and seven of ordinary glass
| alternately in the roof of his grapery
He then set out twenty grape cuttings
one year old of the size of a pipe stem,
and in five months they were forty-five
feet long and one inch in diameter.
J Others of the same varieties, in ordinary
sunlight, having good care, in the same
time attained n length of five feet, with
scarcely an increase of diameter. The
next year General Pleasanton witnessed
even more remarkable growth and har-
vested about 200 pounds of fine grapes
from the original twenty cuttings, after