Waterbury Democrat., 1902-04-14
TREATMENT FOR SMALLPOX.
Curative Effects of Red Rays of Light
 Investigated by Physicians.

are reflected from the vast snow eX. panses. Strange is it that the ex- plorer should suffer from sunburn and
 complain of irritation of the skin
 There is name, "erythema calori-
 cum," given to this skin trobule, and
 ''caloricum'' is derived from the Latin
 .'calor," meaning heat. To-day opin-
 ions in regard to the physical action
 of light, whether naturally or arti- l ficially diffused, differ from those held
 in the past. It is now universally
 recognized that the rays of light have
 two distinct functions. In one set
 of them there is heat, and in another a distinct and positive chemical action,
 as potent. as would be an alkali or an acid. The veriest tyro in photogra- l phy knows this. He excludes the | light at times. When forced to ma- nipulate his plate he uses red light, otherwise lie would ruin his picture. A Russian man of science, study ing the effects of electrical light when welding was carried on, found that the
 workmen were subjected to a disturb
 ance of the eyes, which was natural, but that besides, they suffered from
 a peculiar inflammation of the skin. This chemical action differs with the
 individual. It is a matter of con- plexion. We know that the blonde woman evades the sun glare, other
 wise she suffers more from tan than
 would the brunette It is even af- firmed by those who have studied this delicate subject, that the one cheek of the blonde exposed to a brilliant light will show some fairly marked 1rirn . the shade remains normal. The pig ment in the skin, according to Dr Neils R. Finsen, is "a natural defense against the action of the chemical rays of light' Carry the idea fur ther. If there arise certain inconven- fences from these chemical rays, na- ture must have tried in some way to protect the individual. A dark skin acting as a shield, by process of evo- lution. the black races of men came to the front, for in the tropics the sun glare was constant. Descending to animals, would they be subjected to the inconvenience arising from the chemical action of the light? Virchow is authority for it that light colored cattle are more inclined to skin dis ease than are those of darker hue. A COW with light colored hide had one side of her tarred. When exposed to the sun the untarred side of the animal showed some skin trouble, while the tarred side remained intact. This, too, seems evident, that the skin of the human being is as sensitive to certain rays of light as are the salts of silver on the plate of the photogra- pher. What are the chemical rays of light have been positively deter mined The blue, the violet, and more particularly the ultraviolet, pos sess in the strongest degree their pe- culiar action.
 With this preamble, in which noth- ing novel has so far been advanced, in relation to the action of the chem ical rays of light, complexions of blondes. or the hue of the colored race being of minor significance. subject of much graver character is to be ap- preached. It is the relation of light to that most serious malady-small- pox.
 The professional man, in writing about smallpox, is chary of using such an expression as '.the cure" of the dis ease. All that he can suggest is it's treatment. AS pr John Wallace Moore, editor of the Dublin Journal of Medicine, expresses it, mo physician have ever cured case of smallpox" All the most skillful of practitioners can do lis to guide the essential disor- order to a favorable conclusion, and in the next place to combat secondary affections as they arise." (See Twen- tfeth Century Practice of Medicine, Volume XIlI.)
 The object of this article is to bring attention to what is called 'the red room treatment and the advantages likely to be derived from such treat ment to those suffering from smallpox. At the beginning of this article the special quality of the rays of light was referred to, particular stress having been laid on the action of the chemi- cal rays. Might there not be advan- tage taken in violent inflammation of the skin, as occurs in the case of smallpox by keeping off the chemical rays of light? The red ray is the harmless one. It may have no cura- tive effect; it may be entirely passive. but it can do no harm.
 Strange to say, the advantages of using red as ! color in cases of small poN seem to have been thought of at remote period Unquestionably there was empiricism in the past, and traces of it may be. found to-day. ''Simila similibus curantor" must have impressed itself on humanity even in prehistoric times. For jaundice. the eating of carrots has been recommend ed, because the yellowish red of the vegetable approached to the shade of jaundice. It may be then that the strongly marked color of the intiamma- ton in smallpox may have brought about the idea of using red as a cure for the disease
 pr Neils F. Finsen of Copenhagen. prosector of anatomy seems to have been the first in modern times who has directed attention in a positively scientific manner to the red light treatment for smallpox. Two papers of pr Finsen's on this subject may be found. One is published in the Med ical Week (Paris, Oct 14 1S9A. the other in the British Medical Journal Dec IT. 1S95). The fearful mortal ity arising from smallpox in the Mid dle Ages having been commented on. Dr Finsen writes that in the thir- teenth century John of Gaddesden. the author of curious old book. the title of which was Rosa Anglica." ]" advocated the use of the rcd color