Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-10-06
DENMARK.
Copenhagen.

Professor Neils II. Finsen, discoverer
OF the method of curing lupus. or
tuberculosis OF the face, with light
rays, and director of the Finsen Ray
Institute in this city, is dead. For
many years he suffered from a com
plication of diseases, including dropsy
and heart disease, and his illness was
80 apparent in the wasted figure and
face as to excite the sympathy Of all
who visited the institution where his
methods We're applied 10 the relief and
care OF thousands Of patients. So in
tense was his devotion to his work
that he neglected himself day and
night to the despair OF his friends,
hardly sparing time enough from his
duties for sleeping and eating. His
death is attributed to overwork. ag-
gravating the diseases from which he
had suffered all his adult life. Pro-
lessor finsen was 40 years old and q
native Of n of the Farce islands The
institute of which he has been the
head since 1896 Is supported through
private benefaetiens and a government
tidO" iltlll, hiAu ulu uOl mAkt WEHltu
for Professor Finsen, who died poor.
His great discovery, that sunlight and
electric light rays contain properties
that can be used to cure skin diseases
aud blemishes, was the o~utg-owth Of
his experiments begun as a student
in Copenhagen university. In 1890
Professor Finsen was graduated from
tho nnfxsargfftf urh.ao ~. - I.o- A.
published In a medical journal an ar
ticle on The Influence OF Light on the
Skin" which aroused general attention
because of the assertion i'm il that
cases Of smallpox could be cured by
putting red curtains al the windows
of the sickroom. This was the begin
ming of the final triumph. Smallpox
became epidemic IN 1884 in Copen-
hagen aud the new method was put to
the test. Tile red-room treatment be-
came popular with both the medical
profession and the public. for by II not
only was the disease cured, but the red
rayspreyented suppuration and left the
patient unmarked by the dreaded
scars. The red-light treatment was but
4 YIN AlJifii tAiOl VI tlOltCNDl Il lDctu .
theory that light rays contained heal
ing, and at best it was but a nega-
tive result; II cured only when the dis
ease had run its course. To develop
the positive element of the light-ray
cure. Professor Finsen began expert
menting with artificial light rays.
Soon he found II possible TO con-
/ noUft.ofa ta xa ~ tho nrAfp0rr alanfpfO
light In such a way as to cure a lupus
patient, who for eight years had tried
every other known method. The
cure attracted great attention, and
both moral and financial support came
to the young investigator and dis
coverer. In December, 1903, Profess
sor Finsen received the Nobel medical
prize from the Norwegian parliament
Herr Won Elle, the Danish minister
In London, on commenting on the plan
to revise the union said: The an
tagonlstic political currents are in on
tact between Sweden and Norway:
happily the contact is not likely to be-
come violent. Negotiations looking to-
ward settlement are in the hands OF
cautious men and are almost certain
TO result In an amiable arrangement
perpe.uating the union. Some people
fear that Russia c~ontemplates an . c
cupatfon OF yarangerftore, but Au-
tsositative minds expect no such de-
velepment Of Russian policy"