The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-07-27
ovERExPosuRE TO SUNSHINE.
Is One of the Dangers Of the VACATION
Season.

Season.
More important, very probably even
than the question OF water in vacation
time is that Of exposure TO the sun
Here once more llippocrates, in his wise
old, Greek way, emphasized a most i'm
portant factor in the production OF Ill
health. We have heard sunlight praised
so much in recent years that we may
forget that in this as in everything else
the rule must be ne quid niminm--dont
20 too far. Many people seem prone to
think that the heavier the coat OF tan
they wear on their return from their
vacation the thicker are the layers oil
good health that they have accumulated
They forget that the darkening Of the
skin caused by sunlight is definite ci'
fort on tho part OF Nature to protect
underlying important organs from the
destructive chemical action OF the suns
rays. Before nature supplies this pig
ment, which deposited in tho SKIN pro-
tects the individual from solar actinlsm,
the effects are strikmgly destructive
The cuticle loses its vitality and - shed.
II the exposure to sunlight has been
continued for some time, all the effects
OF a burn are produced. In sensitive peo'
pie, as the result Of the paralyzing eheet
Of the suns rays, the small nerves that
supply the cspilaries go out OF commits
sion, the circulation is seriously dis
turbed, leakage of serum from the blood
takes place, and there is large amount
Of edema. Most people have had exper'
fences that have brought home these et-
fects to them so poignantly that they
are not likely to BE- forgotten nor to be
misunderstood.
In spite OF these warnings, however
many people think that it j. the right
thing TO 60 without any covering for the
head and with large portions OF the
body exposed Children are encouraged
to wander without hats, and the youth
OF the country, Of both sexes, is sup
posed TO he laying up for itself stores
OF vitality while exposing itself freely
to the sun. It must not be forgotten,
however, that in the very hot countries
and none OF them are very much hot
ter than our own when we have our
genuine torrid weather-people maintain
their health by hiding from the sun en-
tirely during three or four hours at
least in the hottest part Of the day, and
whenever they 90 out itno the sun they
cover their heads with many folds OF
wooden cloth. Turbaus, after all, are the
result of the experience Of the people |
in eastern tropical climates that they |
are much better for having their heads
covered.
Major Woodruff, United States army, |
whose experiences in the Philippines set |
him to studying the effects of light, mas
especially warned against the exposure
OF the head to sunlight, The skull and |
the scalp present but very slight obsta
eles to the passage of dangerously de.
structiye rays OF sunlight The lignter |
the color OF the hair the truer is this, |
and very thin hair or shingled hair
makes an exposure OF the head particu.
larly dangerous There is tradition
that cutting the hair very short i'm.
proves its growth and prevents badness,
a tradition the foolishness of which can
be seen from the fact that il is women
who almost never have their hair cut
who are also never bald. that is respon.
sible for many men having their hair
very close for the summer va
cation. This is extremely dangerous.
Indeed, it may be said that the secret
Of successful buildingup vacation con
sists in the careful avoidance Of the dan
gers induced by exposure to sunlight as
well as to bad water Ii these two warn.
ngs Of the Greek father OF medicine
be kept in mind by the modern vaca
ton tourist, there will be much less need
Tor rest after vacation, and that rec
-eation, which is the purpose OF vacation,
win be much better accomplished,--New
York Independent.