The Washington weekly post., 1899-10-31

That light rays may be used TO kin dis
ease bacteria, and in this way cure baid-
ness and various skin troubles. is a new
discovery attributed to Or. FLasen, OF
Copenhagen. He has already made some
hundreds OF cures that are described in
this months British Medical Journal. as
quite marvellous, and some of the details
OF lis experiments are as interesting as
they are novel. Certain species Of bac-
terra are already recognized as the cause
OF some forms OF particularly
the Kind that comes in patches-and these
are killed with promptness and certainty
by the method referred to, the hair i'm
hleoiate!y starting TO grow again.
II you take a glass prism ana, with the.
neir of an everyday sunbeam, throw
a miniature rainbow upon the wall OF
room, you VIII observe that red : at one
end OF the ribbon OF cOlors thus formed
and violet at the other end. Now, doWa
toward the red are the heat rays, while
the chemical rays (such as those which
aHect Photographic plates) are IN the Vlo-
let and its neighborhOOd. These chemical
rays OF the violet and blue are the ones
that Kill bacteria, and in the instruments
devised by DR.. Finsen for this purpose
they are separated out and fired at the
disease germs in the skin. lie calls them
"bacter1cidal rays" and in applying them
TO a patient he concentrates them by
! means presently to be described
DR.. Finsen's first experiments we're
made with the so-called bacillus prodgio-
| sus, which is a remarkably interesting
| kind of germ.
Dr. Finsen took some of these bacilH
that were growing IN a steriIlzed prep
aration OF japanese fish glue, and spread
the latter thinly between two sheets OF
glass. Thus he made what is called a
plate culture" and exposed it to the
direct rays of the sun. In an hour and a
half all of the germs (eaCh one capable
OF producing a full-blOwn miracls) We're
dead; but it was obvious that the action
was too slow and weak; otherwise it
might be expected that some forms Of
badness and all bacterial skin troubles
would cure themselves in summer, sim
| ply through exposure to sunshine. 1t
having been ascertained that the blue
| and violet rays were the ones that did
| the business, the problem was merely 10
| separate those out of the sunbeam and
concentrate them upon the bald or other
wise diseased areas of the sufferers cuti-
| Gle. Means We're found for making this
chemical beam very powerful.
Another fact ascertained had reference
| TO the power of these violet and blue rays
to penetrate the skin-a most important
! point, inasmuch as the diseas Sc king
or badness producing germs do not lie
on the surface but are buried at a great
er or less depth In the cuticle. To get at
| them and kill them, the rays must pierce
| the tissue. This matter was satisfac-
| torily determined by series of expert
ments with dogs and cats. beneath whose
| skins were inserted sealed glass tubes
/ filed with fnuriate of silver. Some OF
the animals were then placed in darkness.
while others were exposed TO sunlight.
the result being that when the tubes
were removed later, the solution was
found to have turned black in the latter
cases and TO have remained unaItersd in
| the former. In a word, it was proved
! that the chemical rays made their way
actually through the hides of the beasts.
| affecting the silver salts. .... ...-
Experiments with an Ear.
] It has been demonstrated also by Or.
! Fi1sen that these rays penetrate much
more easily through bloodless tissues
| than through those that have blood In
them. and one way in which this was
shown was by placing a piece of sensi-
tized paper behind mans ear, and pro-
| jecting a beam of blue and violet rays
/ against the flap of the organ from the
| outside. After five minutes the paper
was not affected; but, when the ear was
| pressed between two glass plates so as
| 10 drive all the blood out Of II. the paper
was affected in twenty seconds.
| \ few seconds Of exposure 10 this
sifted sunshine. as it might be termed,
| suffices 10 Kill the hardest disease germs.
] 1t is not necessary to use suns rays.
| however. for DR.. Finsen mas found that
| electric light is equally efficient Indeed.
| IL is preferable 10 winter sunlight, the
! latter being hardly strong enough, and
during that season or on cloudy DAYS II
| is found desirable TO employ arc lamps
| of fifty TO sixty amIires. Here agall
hours Of exposure would be required hut
for the means taken 20 separate out the
| chemical rays and concentrate them.
Thus managed, they destroy bacteria in
a few seconds, when the latter are spreai
between sheets OF glass In plate cuI-
ture"
Light Must BE CeOI.
While concentrating the rays. II Is
necessary 10 cool the Hight, in order TO
avoid burning the patient TO whom ii Is
applied. This double opject-to make the
bSdI{& StEOHSeE ana tDUieT-lS dtlAl lnF1
| where suns rays are employed. by pass
| ing them through . hollow glass lens a
foot in diameter filled with a bright blue
| solution Of copper sIlphate The liquid
| shuts OF the hot red and yellow rays
| and lets the blue and violet go through.
| At the same time. the lens being convex
| in front. these chemical rays are brought
| 10 focus. When electricity II utilized
brass tube containing two lenses OF
quartz crystal Il made 70 serve. Between
the lenses Is distilled water, which keeps
| out most OF the heat rays. while quartz
crystal Is TgOre permeable BY the chem
ical rays of light than glass is. A. t6s
! same time. cold water is permitted 70
flow round the end OF the instrument
| which Is applied 70 the patients skin to
keep Z from being buried
Skin treated IN thls way reddf1s and
| swells, but any disease bacteria taat may
occupy the tissue are surely Destroyed
the result being a cure. UD 10 date DR.
Finsen has treated with success 3G9 cases
OF that frightful complaint called lupus. %
which, most commonly attacking ire face.
literally devOurs the victim Expert
ments With certain kinds o. ba'dnegs. az
already stated, have produced remark
able results.