Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-12-08
CURES BY COLORS.
A New and Peculiar Course OF Treatment for
Insanity.

| a Now anu PECULIAR course OF treatment f0l
| Insanity.
| New York Times.
Since Goethe puzzled his readers with q
| theory of colors which no man of science
has endorsed, the effect of bright hues
| upon human beings, animals and plants
has been studied to little profit. Goethe
held that there were only two pure colors
| blue and yellow. Blue is a background de-
void of color or light, with the interme-
date atmosphere Illuminated. Yellow is
light seen through thickened medium
Red is not true color at all but partakes
of blue and yellow and all the other parts
of the chromatic scale are derived
from these two. He would have
followed with the utmost eagerness the
experiments on which the once famous
blueglass craze was based. He would
have found a remarkable bridge between
his studies on the colors and those on the
growth of plants could he have lived to
hear the reports of the behavior of plants
under glasses of different tints. The vol
ume on blue glass for invalids, written by
General Pleasanton, would have found
an earnest reader in Goethe, and he
would have been the last to Join the
round of laughter that went up at the
time that amiable mania was in fashion.
Through the claims of extreme parti-
sans like General PleasontOn with respect
TO the magical effects of blue or violet
glass upon the growth of human beings,
their health and spirits cannot be sub
stantiated, it is very certain that colors
do have some effect on plants, and per-
haps on animals. Experiments have not
been accumulated in sufficient number
to warrant any definite rules whereby
the influence of colors can be turnedl to
practical account, but there seems q rea-
sonable certainty that the growth of
plants can be retarded or increased by
the us9 of glass of different colors when
ever statistics shall be collected in suffi-
cient quantity to allow of generalization
If the Influence of colors ON human be-
ings has come to be joke, that does not
prevent the idea springing up again with
novel aspect. The Scientific American
reports from Italy most curious expert
ments in this line on the nerves of the
sick and insane which will be of incalcu-
liable benefit to humanity if found to be
permanent and available everywhere. IN
the hospital for insane at Allessandria
special rooms are arranged with red or
blue glass i'll the windows, and red or
blue paint on the walls. A violent pa
lent is brought suddenly into Il blue room
and left to the effects of that color on his
nerves. One maniac was cured III an
hour; another was at peace in his mind
after passing day in room all violet.
The red room is used for the commonest |
form of dementia-melancholy usually |
by refusal to take food.
After three hours in the red room a pa
tient afflicted in this way began to be |
and asked for food. The i'm |
portance of few general facts like these |
in the treatment of the insane is obvious, |
for there can be no question that many |
cases of lunacy are durable if diversion |
can be made before the malady becomes |
nveterate. Thus a large proportion of |
cases that begin gently, and even many |
that have a violent start, may be cured |
quickly through the eyes. Tor incurabIe |
cases the colored rooms ought to be of |
constant benefit by making the attacks
nilder.
The philosophy of the phenomenon is of
course matter for speculation. Open
iir with sunlight often eXerts a quieting
fleet ON the insane. 1t may be that the
;olored panes have some analogy there
With. Or, it is suggested, the only fac
or is the surprise of the patient at pc
.uliar environment. If there is no more
IL it than that the results will be slender,
with the effort made to effect
he cure But no one is likely to grudge
costly apparatus, even if it only serves
o tighten for these unfortunates little
# that burden of despair which weighs3
hem down. "A