COLOURS FOR HEALTH

Evening Star, Issue 20128, 19 March 1929, Page 2

COLOURS FOR HEALTH

CEGORATIHG A HOSPITAL Colour is ;i< desirable iii ;i hospiia! ris ii is in n lioniL', states William <). Ludlow. ;i New York architect. Writing in the ' .Modern J.iospiial ' "ii 'Colour.' he saws tliiit, man lot c.- colour, and that whatever brings pleasure gives not merely :i passing >t'iisi t inn. bnl. something Unit ministers to nicnt;i! health mid bodily comliiiuii. Colour produces mental icachon--. and ue know that these arc immediately rellccted in bodily condition. The reactions are brought about partly by association o|' ideas, but. aside from ibis, colour often produces real excitement or depression of the nervous system. Ilc goes on : ' One c;mui)t"bit in a bright red r u for any 'length ol' lime With a leeling ol coml'ort. We say the key is too high, -which means thai,- the nenous system is unduly stimulaled. A blue room may be pleasant enough on a Marin summer day, but (he colour is not stimulating, and its great absorption ol light, and particularly ol the yellow rays, makes it devoid ol' cheer. While, except in great monumental work, is to be avoided, lor. although it doe> not absorb the impinging light, it suggests sterility, coldness, and lacks all powei lo create pleasurable .tad lielpiul sensation. Creeu is ;, res', ml colour, and. when used in the lighter shades particularly, makes an agreeable surrounding. The sunshine colours, gold, yellow, and bull', used on walls and ceilings in appropriate tones, bring 10 the inside oi the house something; <u the ioy ol' the sunshine as we see it on lie Ids and woods. Let us consider now how iic-e observations apply lo the hospital. There is a general feeling of aniipathy lor the hospital that -~injul<! not . and need not. exist. True, it, is a place ol sultcring. but il- ehicl' object is relict ol sulfering, and its more important fiinciiou is eoiivaio.■ecu: o. During the period of recovery, ihe mind ,t( the one in the hospital' bed is perhaps mote than usually responsive to (he aspects oi his surroundings. The tired eye that lor ever roams over wall and ceiling until every crack is known by heart craves something more positive than barren white walls. It wains objects of interest such as pictures, stencilled patterns, hangings at the windows, and. above all. the repose and warmth that only colour can give. White is i lie winter colour, dazzling, and brilliant, but is somehow reminiscent, ol winter's cold and rhceriessiicss. Lei us. then, cover our hospital walls wilii colour, seleciing I hose that give warmth and quiet and that gentle stimulation which helps Ihe patient, along the mad to recowry. In decorating the lobby I would u-e the same kind of colour schemes as express the welcome of the entrance to (he hotel or clubhouse, or even the pn\a!e residence, using sunlight, tones if the lobby is not. well lighted. and duller shades if there is plenty of real sunlight. Adiaceni to the lobby is usually Ihe waiting room for visitors or prospective patients. A well-chosen Oriental rug, .substantial wicker furnil i;ie, upholstered with (puiiut chintzes or cretonnes, with window hangings to match and walls painted to tone in, take away all "institutional" feeling. They are eheerlu! and give a real v.ei-

For Ihe private room--, u.-irds. hall-, and opt-! ill ii!j4 room, il' I -,< ere lohl that I tnili 111 rhooM' iu.-t 01 ii..' colour lor iill. I would -eleel -,\ \\iii'iti u'l-y loiii', more commonly called liiilF, lor l his colon" has more of Ire c-.-.ont ials than any other. These essentials ;nv, lir-f. a |)l'«)|i"'|- eonserva I ion of tin.? lii/Jil in the room by reflection, for <-nidi:j;liL ami eld-trie li::hf are bolh valuable: second, the colour cue-: !■" one not -o cosily soiled : third, it mm-1 not produce eye strum : and leiirt h. hot .not least important, it mi;M he ourix-cabio and eheerini; lo the patient. Now. let. us take thi- " hiill' " a-: a liie-i* colour. In the wards or private rooms on the south, when.' ihe sun'rays • seldom enter. I will mix a liilie yellow with il to stimulate the sun's idow. hi the ea-f and west rooms. where Ihe -un in lor part oi' the day. J will leave ii as ii i-.. In the north roonis, when.- brit-hi sunbj,hl can lie obtained most ol" the rl.ty, I will add .inat :i little "icy and a little creen, making a mjol'.t colour than other rooms reipiire. Hallway-, which are apt to have losnatural li-j.dil than bedroom-, are best painted witli ."-'iiiliehl colour. This applies al-o to kitchens, laundries, and such rooms as do not -jet an abundant simply of siinhVht. The operat inn; room, to my mind the mo.st interesiine; room in the hospital, because ni' its highly technical rorpiiroinputs, should have most careful consideration e-iicn jn it-- colour sehc-mo. f know of nolliiii',' ipiilc so satisfactory as a dull French irroy file for the wainscot and a lighter crey for reilectinf.' surfaces above. The eye wearies with too much plain. unbroken surface. .\,r Imdhnv eoes on to s.ny. and by (]■,. eye he explains- fhiif he means the mind. Thus, al'r-v our ualls and ceilings have been tinted ihe proper tones, he uri-v-* us lo comfort and entertain the eonvale-cen i mtnd by fanciful leaf bands, punctured perhaps bv h'-idil berries, or by conventional birds or flowers.