THE SOLARIUM.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 123, 26 May 1928, Page 8

THE SOLARIUM.

WHAT IT HAS DONE

Attention haying: been drawn to the value (or no-value) of "sun bathing" as a -form of regular medical treatment by the offer of a generous person to give £3000 towards the fitting up of a solarium at Napier and the subsequent refusal of the head of the Health Department to permit its acceptance, it is of interest to notice that a three-column report of a solarium in South Africa appears in the "Lancet" of April 14 last, from which I shall freely quote herein. . The doctor who has charge of the sun bath states that altitude and dryness contrfbute largely to the success of the sun-bath treatment, and is most emphatic that skilled supervision by nurse or doctor with special knowledge is necessary. Tuberculosis of lungs responds quickly and well to this form of therapy, particularly in the afebrile type. Definite improvement has resulted in paralysis agitans, rheumatoid arthritis, bronchiectasis and neurasthenia. Cases of secondary anaemia, general debility, insomnia, sciatica afid chronic gastritis have been cured. One case of j high blood pressure in a man of fifty-nine was brought to the normal in five weeks. Cases of tuberculosis peritonitis, rheumatism and postoperative convalescence have shown marked j progress even with a short course of treatment. The- doctor does not say that at sea level the ; sun bath is useless, but that a humid atmosphere and low altitude militate against success, and the time of day at which the treatment is administered is important. The percentage of total possible hours of sunshine varies from 29 per cent in London to 73 per cent at Witwatersand (Africa), which has much the same record as Dr. Rollier's elinie in Switzerland, whilst the former has about 1000 more sunshine hours in the year than the latter.- It is therefore evident that sun bathing in this part of Africa finds conditions exceptionally favourable, and less suitable localities might give farl less satisfactory results. It has been found in South Africa that most fatients cannot stand and do not benefit by a ull exposure of more than an hour even when this is only reached by a careful graduation over a period of ten or twelve days. An overdose can very easily happen. It is therefore evident that our Health Department would have to satisfy itself upon many points before encouraging the establishment of New Zealand solariums, which, even if privately donated, would be looked upon as the responsibilities of that Department, which would bear the blame for non-success in any event. It must be understood that light-ray treatment is not to be the sole method of cure in any eases; it is but an aid. already proved of use, to the usual methods adopted for overcoming defects of nutrition and the ravages of disease. —H.A.Y.