Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-07-03
TREATED WITH SUNSHINE.
Fitted With Apparatus For Curing Skin
Diseases,

In 1896 DR.. Finsen, Dane, founded
an institute in Copenhagen for the treat
ment of lupus and other diseases of the
skin by light. Then the Princess of
Wales could not rest until the treatment
was brought within the reach of the poor
OF her adopted country. She presented
the apparatus to the London Hospital,
where all the arrangements for its use
have been carried out by DR.. Stephen
Mackenzie and DR.. Sequeira, who paid
visit to the Finsen Institute. One
lamp was found quite insufficient, so a
second was soon provided by the gov
errors of this great hospital of the East
End. The total capital outlay has been
fI,Ioo, and preparations for the erection
of a third light are nearly complete.
AS sunlight cannot be always depended
upon, ward where artificial light can
be used was necessity. in addition
to the open-air arrangement, for which a
part of the hospital garden is set apart.
On entering the ward the first i'm
preston is the sound of cheerful though
subdued conversation between the nur-
ses and patients. Two electric lamps are
suspended from the ceiling, each provid-
ed with four telescopes. Around each
of them, and in such position that the
lamp can look down through its mag
nifying glasses like bcnehcent eye on
the affected spots. four patients recline
on couches. Beside each. her eyes pro-
tected by black spectacles, a nurse sits.
pressing lens on the crimson patch
which indicates that germ, known on
account of its cruel rapacity by the name
of lupus, is hiding under the patients
skin. In this position they remain for an
hour at time. Through the black
spectaclcs white spot fringed with red
may be discerned agitating below the
lens. 1t is white the nurse explains, be-
cause the pressure makes it anemic, and
the agitation in the glass is due to a
current of cold water flowing through
the hollow lens by means of India-rub-
Der pipes. She had no pain, the round
faced, healthylooking young patient said
to an explanation of the process given
by the 81 err an nurse. 1t is founded
on the principle that light, if it can be
so concentrated as TO penetrate through
the skin, kills the disease germs.
But how is light to attack the wolf
without burning or inflaming the flesh
of the VOLTS victim? The scorching
red and the chemical white rays are sub
dued by their passing first through cold
water. The blue and ultraviolet rays
are poweress to hurt the skin, though
merciless to destroy bacteria. 1t is ma
tural to suppose that the young are the
most hopeful cases, but the sister and
nurse took pleasure in recalling the com
plete recovery of a white haired old lady
after fiftytwo attendances at the London
Hospital.
1t is encouraging that some of the
patients cured in the Finsen Institute
have been quite free from any recurrence
of the disease for two years. The cx-
quisite poetry which promises healing
in the wings" of the Sun of Righteous
ness is based on scientific fact. Light
is life and health. 1t will be recounted
in the history of our gracious Queen
Alexandra that she brought her country
blessing that must surely reflect on
herself in her peoples love and graft
tude.-Thc Oui7,cr.