The Savannah morning news., 1904-11-24

patient shut UP in one OF these new
baths would be scorched to death, for
the bath is nothing more nor less than
number of incandescent lights placed
In rows on the inside Of a big box.
The patient is wheeled into this box
and the door is shut only his head
being allowed to remain outside; a
hole in the door providing for this ne
cessity. With little to protect him
from the heat of the lamps, the pa
tient is left inside the box until he is
in a profuse perspiration. Any one
who has placed a hand on the bulb of
an incandescent light globe after It
has been burning for some time will
realize what a heat would emanate
from score of these lights throwing
their radiance into closed box. Yet
the advocates of this novel method
of treatment argue so plausibly in
favor of It that the scruples OF those
who see in 1t a new method of tor
( ture scarcely find good foundation.
Here is the line of argument taken by
one who uses the bath systematically
in his treatment Of patlents
I II have proven 1t to be superior to
Turkish, or any form Of vapor bath.
While a thorough sweating is useful
as cleansing process, and In nipping
In the bud any sudden attack Of pneu-
monia, its benefits cannot be safely
enjoyed by patients suffering from dis
eases Of the lungs or heart On the
contrary electric light baths are not
only perfect as sudatories for the
healthy, but their curative value for
the sick are without any attendant
injury or danger. All pressure of the
condemnation OF water upon the skin
is done away with. The head being
entirely free, there is no pressure or
giddiness, and for the same reason the
T.. -. 81 ..sIt
pure air, instead Of inhallng, as in
the Turkish bath, the poisonous exhal-
ations OF other persons in the bath
apartment" At the Polytechnic Hos
pital In Philadelphia an interesting
collection Of photographs is preserved,
showing the marked Improvement
made by patients treated with the
Finsen light for lupus and cancer.
Shining through a huge blue lens the
light OF the sun is focused on smaller
lens, which in turn is pressed against
the part to be treated; a steam OF
water flowing through a rubber tube
keeps the rays from acting as a burn
ing glass and scorching the patient.
In this hospital special department
has been set aside for treatment OF
patients by the Finsen light. In an
other part Of the ward can be seen
an apparatus for administering treat
ment by the white rays alone. The
patient Is seated In a chair, and the
rays directed upon the spot to be
treated. The germs of disease, ac-
cording to the physicians at this hos
pital, speedily begin TO writhe and
wriggle under the dlscomforting in
fiuence Of the electric light rays and
finally yield up the ghost and permit
nature to proceed with the cure.
Not only are the various light APP
parati being used for the treatment OF
skin diseases, but I'm some institutions
nerve disorders are being relieved by
the afflicted one basking In the radi-
ance OF electric rays. The recent as
sertion that light rays could be used
as an anaesthetic may not. In the
opinion Of some, be wide Of the mark.
Psychologists long ago advanced the
opinion that the rays Of the arc light
possessed a soothing, pain relieving
effect and exercised surprisingly
strong restorative power upon the
whole nervous system. The theory
Of the curative properties OF light Is
not new but the surprisingly large
number OF novel methods now u,
vogue OF effecting a cure show that
great features Of scientific advance IN
light as a healing agent Is one or the
the twentieth century.