Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1890-08-22
HEALTH IN THE SUN.
Stimulating fsfiuenc-s Of soi's thser
Hnr. nm liz. Ix a.. and Narxes

Stimulating fsfiuenc-s ef soi's cheerful
Rays IN the Eyes and Nerves.
All life ON eartl, depending ON sun
light, and the development OF all or
ganic beings being influenced by II, an
cicnt physicians know that protractcd
absence Of natural light was not indif-
fercnt thygenlcally- lIippocrntes.
Galcnus aud Ayicenna- Experimental
Investigation OF this subject, however.
does not begin, II seems, before our cen
tury. W. 4. Edwards (i.os Agents ply
slQues do Ia vie. lss5) found that frogs
and quabs developed normally in trans
parent vessels. while whom kopt in en-
tircly dark vessels their growth was
slower and their development not en-
tiroly normal. Moleshott. fubinc.
isonchi and others observed that epider-
mis-in light secrotes moro carbonie acid
. than in dark and Won Platcn found that
At the same time absorption OF oxygen
Il greater, Consequently sunlight in
crcases carbonlc rotation of matter
According 10 Loeb. sunlight only acts
stimulating from the eye on tho nerves
which influence the rotation OF matter.
This IN not so. II Is rather probable
that light exercises the same influence
from the sensitive nerves OF the exterior
skin. hut even portions OF tissue, en-
tirely separated from the body nervous
and muscular mass). yield more carbonic
acid IN light than In the dark, and bluo
aud violet Hight possess much stronger
action than yellow and red light. This
actually compcls us TO suppose chem
ical action of sunlight In the animal
body. besides Its stimulating action on
the nerves. Such a chemical action
may DO found 10 take place In the do
posit OF dark coloring matter In tho
Rete Malpighu. In the browning OF tho
skin. In tho formation OF frcckles.
The hygcnic Importance OF light Is al
80 visible In psychic afiectations, dis
position. etc. On sunny day every |
healthy person Is gayer, more cheerful;
on dark day more serious and depress- |
ed. People OF morbid irritability. also
those affected with acute fover, arc con-
siderably moro excited by clear light; |
they become qnieter by dim, especially |
hiuoor green light Tho eyc is strong
ly excited BY direct rays OF tho sun;
they arc nblo to cause central scotoma
md retinitis. On the other hand, too |
small quantity OF light imposes an In
creased effort on the active eye--com-
pnls IL TO bring itself nearer to the OBJ
iect observed.
OF the highest importance Ia another
property Of light 1t contributes to tho
purity OF air. Especially under tho in
fiuencc of the yellow rays living plants
absorb carbonic acid with the apertures
Of their leaves. decompose 1t and oxhalo
oxygen. II Is probable that sunlight |
also fasas oxidation OF organic sub
stances present in tho air. Direct sun
light has the property OF killing certain
microparasites and their germs, as DOM
onstrated by ArIoing and Duclaux--e. e.,
cuiturcsof anthrax- bacillus in two hours
when preserved in light GRADUALLY loses
its virulcnce
Even the locomotion Of micronarasites
soems 10 denend ON SUNLIGHT Encle-
man observed n In bacterium pbotome.
tricum MerelIus lacrvmans fbouse
fungus aevelons ito mycelium In darh.
poss onlv. and IN tho real stage Of
grown, n does not sunnort light which
Il only searches in The stages Of putre-
faction. Lack Of natural liobt is nrob.
ably Injurious TO children. as illustrated
by scrofulosis, rachitis. Malaria also ap-