Year: 1877

A very general interest has been awakened
by discoveries made by General Pleasanton,
with regard to the properties Of blue light as
a medical agent, and the opinions expressed
on the subj ject range through every degree,
from implicit confidence to absolute skepticism
and ridicule. At the suggestion of a CORES
pondent, who writes in quest of information,
we will state briefly what is claimed for the
new cure and the principles on which the
claims are based. The good effects of the
blue light on the nervous system have been
known for some time to members Of the med
ical profession, but book written by General
Pleasanton, was the first popular treatise on
the subject Sunlight passes directly through
colorless glass, with slight obstruction, and
produces no heat, the glass remaining as cold
as the outside atmosphere. When the light
falls upon blue panes of glass, six of the seven
primary rays are arrested, and only the blue
ray passes through The sudden stoppage Of
these rays of light, moving with enormous ve-
locity, produces friction which, according to
General Pleasanton, evolves negative electrici.
ty. The blue glass is oppositely electrified.


When the opposite electricities, thus brought
together, meet at the surface of the glass, their
conjunction evolves heat and magnetism.
The heat expands the molecules Of the glass
and current of electromagnetic passes in
to the room, imparting vitality and strength
to any animal or vegetable life within it.
General Pleasanton, in the book in which he
unfolds his blue glass cure, takes occasion to
combat some generally accepted scientific the
ories, denying, among others, the Newtonian
theory of gravitation, asserting that electrici-
ty is the all-controlling force of nature, and
denying the theory that the sun is an incan.
descent body, throwing off heated rays. We
have not space to enter upon his arguments
on these points, however, and we state them
only in order to show the aggressive charac-
ter of his opinions.


The usual method of making the expert
ment with blue light is by means of alternate
panes of blue and colorless glass in the win
dow sash. The glass used is French glass
of dark Mazarine blue, which is colored with
cobalt, the ingredient of the glass and the
metal being fused together. If an exceeding
ly strong light is desired, a whole sash may be
filled with blue panes and placed Immediately
in front of the ordinary sash. The diseased
part of the body must be exposed directly to
the blue rays. The sun bath should last half
an hour or so and should be taken for several
days in succession. The treatment is partic.
ularly eficacious in all diseases Of the spine,
and is specially recommended for these and
for nervous difficulties of every description.
Some astonishing cures are reported, so as.
tonishing in fact that it is easy to understand
the ridicule with which the theory has been
received in some quarters Among other
cases which we notice are those of Philadel-
phia lady, who is represented to have been
cured of neuralgia by ten minutes exposure
to blue light; two gentlemen who were entire:
ly cured of rheumatism in three days lady
suffering from hemorrhage Of the lungs,
whose disease has been arrested by few weeks
treatment; girl who was cured Of spinal
MENINGITIS, and young lady, made entirely
bald by sickness, WI "se hair has come out
luxuriantly under blue glass.


Boston Journal