The herald., 1897-06-27
INSTEAD Of THE SUN BATH
RAYS PENETRATE THE BODY
MORE THAN HEAT
Effect on the Nerves Is Marvellous
Incandescent Bri1liance Acts
on the Human System

ed to electricity as an illuminant.
Science has discovered that an electric
light bath is one of the most healthful
things in which humanity can indulge.
The man who has made this idea prac-
tical success is DR.. ]. H. Kellogg of this
city. More than one person, lives today
who, in great measure, owe their con-
tinued existence to the virtue Of bath
ing in the glare of the electric light.
The idea has been kept largely in
allegiance until just now. when 1t has
been placed before the public, and it is
safe to say that no medical and scien-
tific discovery has created greater sem
sation in years than this one just an
nounced regarding electric light. Rad
liant heat has long been employed by
doctors in the form of the sun, but it
has been found that the rays from an
incandescent lamp have far greater PEN
etrati+e power than those which come
from the sun itself.
The great trouble with the sun bath
has been it's constant variability. The
patient who sought this as a remedy for
his ills was compelled to trust to Provi-
dence day by day. AT one time the heat
would be fierce, at another so gentle as
to be hardly efficacous. Again it
was quite likely there would be
no sun at all. The electric light
can be utilized with the same force every
day of the year. It's strength is not at
tendant in the least upon the elements.
but, on the contra ry. is under the con-
troll of the physician at all times. The
result is a steadiness and uniformity of
treatment which have accomplished
wonders.
To thoroughly appreciate electricity,
one must consider its component parts.
1t is not only the light that we see which
benefits us, but it is the properties of
that light which comes from sources so
ancient as to have been forgotten. The
sunlight makes plants grow. 1t makes
trees grow. 1t aids all vegetation in
development, and in doing this imparts
its own properties, that are highly
beneficial to the very things that it aids.
Particularly is this so in tropical coun-
tries, but it is always so wherever there
are vegetation and trees.
Now, when in the course of ages, the
vegetation buried deep beneath the sur
face of the earth, becomes, by the proc
esses Of time, slowly crystallized into
coal, it still contains those properties
which the sun impaired to it centuries
before. Therefore, when by means OF
coal we produce the power that enables
the dynamo to furnish the electric
light, we are really bringing back to
earth again the resuscitated sunlight
of olden times. So 1t can be seen that
the electric light is nothing more nor less
than condensed sunlight, which shines
at our bidding.
Taking this as a basis, medical SCI
ence has evolved the present situation,
and the result Is what is called the hor--
izontal cabinet. In this the patient takes
his electric bath. The cabinet is seven
feet in length, five feet high and four
feet wide. The patient lies in the cab
met upon a couch which rests on rol-
lers. In this way the couch can be
either pushed entirely within the cabi-
net or only sufficient distance to ex-
pose such portions of the body as it is
desired to battle in electric light, or, as
the doctor puts it, to bring under the in
f1uence of radiant light and heat.
The interior of this cabinet is illumi-
mated by sixty-two incandescent cleo
one of the most ingenious features of
the whole affair, for between these pa
rallel rows of lights the space is filled
with mirrors and in this manner the
number of lights is indefinitely multi
piled by reflection. The refracted rays
from the glass have an effect that can
not be rightfully left unconsidered. A
rheostat, or switches, Is placed upon the
cabinet, enabling the number of lights
TO be regulated as the operator may de-
sire.
The lamps are of sixteen candle power
each. Let the reader who wishes TO
judge what the combined force of the
sixty-two lamps is, place his hand with
in a quarter Of an inch of a sixteen can
die power incandescent electric light
globe. Multiply the amount of heat felt
in the palm OF the hand by sixty-two
and there you have the temperature ard
the powerful light that beams upon one
when placed in the cabinet TO take al
electric light bath.
1t is, of course, the method pursued
to graduate the influence of this light
and the effect thereof over the entire
surface of the body exposed There
fore, it must not be considered that it
is all concentrated in one place. As a
matter Of fact the influence of the light
can be confined to the feet and legs,
or any portion Of the body up to the neck
The only protection that is necessary
is to place a sheet or piece of mackin-
tosh over such parts of the body as ii
is desired to exclude from the action of
the bath. In this way it may readily be
seen that the action of the bath may
be applied to any section of the body
desired.
In considering this fact of electric
light bathing in all it's ramfications,
one cannot help viewing with interest
selves apparent Bodies almost wholly
opaque or imperviouS to light will yet
transmit the heat rays to a remarkable
degree. When the body is exposed to
the rays of light from a highly incan-
descent source, the penetration by tho
heat rays is tremendously greater than
by the rays of light AS matter of fact,
the heat from the electric light pene-
trates the body just as it would pene-
trate any other transparent or semi
transparent medium.
In a Turkish, vapor or Russian bath,
heat slowly makes its way into the body
by heating the successive layers of liv-
ing tissue, which although like glass.
transparent to radiant energy, also pos