SEEING RED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 476, 7 April 1909, Page 2

SEEING RED.

Red, in China, signifies joy, peace, happiness. The connection may seem odd to us, but tho Japanese also recognise it quite as strongly. When entertaining foreign friends, they show the measure of their good will by tho varioty of edibles stained red upon the table, and the, in tensity of the dye. lied rice or red beans are commonly exchanged in token of good will. It appears that a red room exhilarates without the aid of wine. A circumstantial account was published some years ago of the euro of a wife suffering from melancholy mania by painting the house scarlet, on the advice of a leading specialist. The red light treatment discovered by Dr. Finsen, coming into general use now with astonishing results, proves beyond dispute that tho tone of their surroundings has very great influence on the condition of the. sick—red especially. But the fact was known centuries before Dr. Fiusen's birth— though all credit is due to him for rediscovering it. Dr. Gaddesden, medical adviser to Edward I, left an account of his proceedings during an epidemic of smallpox in the first years of the fourteenth century. When, the Prince of Wales was attacked, ho wrapped him in scarlet cloth, put scarlet glass in the windows, and painted everything in the room scarlet. Whereby tho Prince was happily preserved—to become King Edward 11. Dr. Gaddesden mentions that he treated many noblemen's sons in the same way, .with success in every instance.