Augustus Pleasonton Augustus James Pleasonton , often called A . J . Pleasonton ( January 21 , 1801 – July 26 , 1894 ) , was a militia general during the American Civil War . He wrote the pseudo - scientific book " The Influence Of The Blue Ray Of The Sunlight And Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky " , which was published in 1876 . His book is often attributed to being the birth of contemporary chromotherapy . He was the son of Stephen Pleasonton and elder brother of Civil War - General Alfred Pleasonton . Biography . Personal life . Augustus Pleasonton was born in Washington D . C . in 1801 . He was the second son of Stephen Pleasonton ( originally from Delaware ) and Mary Hopkins ( from Lancaster , Pennsylvania ) . Stephen Pleasonton served in the US State Department from 1800 until his death in 1854 . Stephen Pleasonton served as the fifth auditor of the Treasury Department , acting Commissioner of the Revenue of the United States , and Chief of the Light House Department . Stephen Pleasonton fought in the War of 1812 , earning him fame and honor as a commander for the United States . Stephen Pleasonton ' s wife ( Augustus Pleasonton ' s mother ) , was the third daughter of John Hopkins , a wealthy farmer and then - Senator of the state of Pennsylvania . Stephen Pleasonton is of Norman - descent and his wife , Mary Hopkins , is of English descent . Augustus Pleasonton would go on to serve in the military , directly influenced by his father ' s public and civil service , as would Augustus ' s younger brother , Alfred Pleasonton who commanded the Cavalry Corps in the Civil War . Military service . Pleasonton attended the United States Military Academy , and graduated in 1826 . His first posting was at the Artillery School of Practice at Fort Monroe , Virginia . From 1827 he served on Topographical duty , resigning in June 1830 . In 1833 , he became a Brigade Major in the Pennsylvania volunteer militia . He was promoted to Colonel in 1835 , and served as Assistant Adjutant General and Paymaster General of the state of Pennsylvania . He became president of the Harrisburg , Portsmouth , Mountjoy and Lancaster Railroad in 1839 . In July 1844 , while engaging armed rioters in Southwark , Pennsylvania , he was wounded by a musket ball to the left groin . He continued serving in the militia until 1845 . Civil War . During the Civil War , Augustus was appointed to the rank of Brigadier General of the Pennsylvania militia in May 1861 . He commanded a 10 , 000 strong detachment of home guard infantry , cavalry , and artillery for the defense of the city of Philadelphia . His younger brother Alfred served as a General for the Federal Union Army in the American Civil War . The Influence of the Blue Ray of the Sunlight . In his later years , Gen . Pleasonton came to a theory that the blue wavelengths from the sun are inherently unique and that the blue rays from the sun are especially influential in the growth of plant and animal life . He also postulated that blue light was especially significant in the health of humans and helped eradicate disease . This theory is pseudoscientific and was never adopted by mainstream scientists , even in his time , but it is often credited as being the birth of modern chromotherapy . Chromotherapy , also called color therapy is an alternative medicine therapy method which states that certain colors can influence the health of a person . His basis for his theory was that plants flourished in the spring time and not in the winter , when the sky was less blue . Between the years 1861 and 1876 , he tested this theory by establishing greenhouses to grow grapes and ran experiments on plants and animals . His grape experiment consisted of growing grapes in a greenhouse - like building ( which was illustrated in the back of his book ) where he alternated direct sunlight with filtered blue light . He claimed that this method greatly increased his production of grapes . He published his theory and experiments in his book , entitled " The Influence Of The Blue Ray Of The Sunlight And Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky " and the subtitle : " In developing animal and vegetable life ; in arresting disease , and in restoring health in acute and chronic disorders to human and domestic animals " . Influence . Blue - glass craze . Pleasonton ' s theory led to what was called the " Blue - glass Craze " , whereby people began growing crops under blue light . Soon , blue panes of glass were being sold as a way to increase crop production . Chromotherapy . After Pleasonton ' s findings , scientist Dr . S . Pancoast studied the blue - light phenomenon and described his findings in his book " Blue and Red Light ; or , Light and Its Rays as Medicine " which was published in 1877 . Edwin Dwight Babbitt was also influenced by this concept and published a book about chromotherapy in 1878 , entitled " The Principles of Light and Color " .