Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-12
INFLUENCE OF COLOR.
Purple Leads to Madness and Scarlet
to Murder.

to Murder.
From the Chicago Inter- Ocean.
Those who are wrapt up in the home
beautiful movement, we are sure, Will
thank us for directing their attention to
what seems to be a timely note Of warning
sounded by the current Issue Of Medical
Talk for the Home. According to this
authority. the prevailing fad for red rooms,
blue rooms, yellow rooms. green rooms,
ETC., is likely to lead to sad results unless
subjected to intelligent direction and re-
straint. The influence Of color upon the
human mind Is so strong, 1t seems that ig-
norant and careless persons are liable,
while making the home beautiful to wreck
some Of the noblest intellects beneath its
roof. Purple, for example, is put down as
q most dangerous color. its effect upon the
gray matter Of those coming under Its con-
slant influence being Of disturbing and
even OF fatal character
'If a person were confined in a room with
purple wallis with no color but purple
around him." We are told. ''by the end of a
month he would be a mailman" And no
wonder 1t Is easy to see how a person
compelled to look for a whole month at
purple walls, purple ceiling, purple land
scapes. purple cows, purple fountains and
composed only of Concord grapes, preserved
beets and thin coffee. to write upon purple
paper with violet ink. to read purple nov
els and to think purple thoughts. would
get purple in the face. swear purple words,
and get purply mad. But this is not all of
it,
Scarlet is as bad. and its effects are
even worse. It produces madness that
causes its victims to murder their nearest
friends. Scarlet has a terrible effect even
upon animals. It will drive a bull or
tiger to desperation. And then there is
blue Blue is depressing. 1t acts like
drug on the brain. It gives one the mully-
grubs. Hence the blues. The effect Of too
much blue in your surroundings Is terrible.
Taken in moderation. however. as. for in
stance. In the way Of huckleberry pie, it is
not so very hurtful.
But green-"green is the king Of colors"
It IL soothing in its effect. II not taken in
ternally in the shape of early cucumbers.
It is balm for the brain and for the eye
sight. Not alone in it's singular number,
but in its plural also. as. for instance,
green's. 1t IL uplifting to the entire system.
Even green apples are not 30 bad They are
splendid correctives for thou4htless boys.
blue. The sea is really green. although it
seems to take on other hues at times. Green
Is so soothing that it helps the system to
fight disease. and therefore. our authority
says. all sick rooms should be papered or
painted green. Sage green is the most
soothing green OF all.
Next to green. yellow is the best Of col
ors. but, alas! solitary confinement in yell
low room. particularly II the prisoner be
compelled to read yellow newspapers, hope
lessly wrecks the system and produces hys-
terra. The yellow newspapers have been
known to do this. however. even to persons
who have not been In solitary confinement.
There may be some variety. of course, with
green for a foundation. little purple here,
g dash Of scarlet there: here fash of yell
low. and there dab Of blue. would not
hurt. but we cannot be too careful Of our
minds, especially IL they be weak.