ARE YOU A HELIOPHOBE?

Evening Star, Issue 20612, 11 October 1930, Page 10

ARE YOU A HELIOPHOBE?

DANGERS OF SUN BATHING At a time when sun bathing is becoming a popular pastime on all the main beaches of the world, and when the ultra-violet rays. are being constantly prescribed by the physician to enable people, and particularly deformed infants successfully to wrestle with some of the ills to which their flesh is heir, there comes a warning from America. It is that sun bathing has its dangers for many people, especially if they bo a “ heliopnobe.” Just what a lieliophobe is is explained in a p§mphlet, (reprinted from the ‘ Medical Mentor,’ New York), issue by Dr Charles F. Pabst, chief dermatologist of the Green Point Hospital, Brooklyn, New York. Dr Pabst conveys his warning in narrative form, as follows :

“ Good morning, doctor,” exclaimed the beautiful Miss Beach, with an air of . suppressed excitement. “Am 1 a lieliophobe?” “Please be seated, and I shall try to find out,” replied Dr Shoreham

“ A lieliophobe,” exclaimed the doctor, “ is an individual who is morbidly sensitive to the effects of the sun’s rays, and whose skin will redden, blister, and burn, but never tan. I realise that sun tan has become quite fashionable, and is the, goal of thousaiids of vacationists, yet constant danger lurks in the sun. Serious illness, and even death, has often followed injudicious exposure to the sun’s rays during the summer months.

“ Every year 200,000 working days are lost because of illness due to sunburn, which represents an annual loss of 1,400,000d01. In the majority of cases the sunburn is deliberately and intentionally acquired.”

“I have often'tried to acquire a coat of tan, but never succeeded,” interrupted the fair patient. “That settles it,” Dr Shoreham replied;," you are a - heliophobe. You .should protect yourself from the sun’s rays, especially during June, July, and August, because in those months the rays of the sun are very rich in ultra-violet light, which burns and blisters the skin.”

“ After an individual has acquired a deep coat of tan, is it safe to expose the tanned portions of the body to the sunlight for long sessions?” inquired Miss Beach. “ Quite safe.” assured the doctor. “ Protection is afforded by the pigment called melanin, in the. deepest layers of the skin cells. The deep cells actually have the power to manufacture additional pigment, and that; is exactly what occurs when you acquire a sink tan. In a heliophobe the skin cells lack this ability.” “ It is not the heat of the sun that produces sunburn, but the ultra-violet rays,” explained Dr Shoreham. “ One should consider ultra-violet light similar to a drug or chemical—say, quinine, for example. A small dose is usually beneficial, but a large dose may cause groat damage, such as inflammation of the optic norvo and blindness, and there are some individuals who cannot take even a small dose without harmful effects.”

“ It must bo dangerous to expose a baby to direct sunlight during the summer months,” commented Miss Beach. “Very dangerous,” replied the doctor;_ “the skin of a baby or young child is’ more susceptible to the rays of the sun than is that of an adult, other things being equal.” “ Is sunburn ever fatal?” asked Miss Beach. “If one-half or more of the body surface is sunburnt, serious internal complications, and even death may result,” warned the doctor. “If a sunburn is severe enough to cause the formation of blisters there is danger of infection through the broken skin, and all such cases shmild receive the attention of a physician. Thousands of persons are severely burnt at bathing beaches. It is a great mistake to sit in-the strong sunlight when the body is ,wet, as the small drops of water act as tiny magnifying lenses.” “Why,is it doctor, that whenever I go ■ boating, I am always painfully burnt, even though 1 wear a large hat?” “It is because the water reflects the ultra-violet rays of the sun, and these are responsible for the sunburn,” answered Dr Shoreham. “ When sunburn is of the first degree, it simply causes a redness of the skin, without blister formation,” said the doctor. “ For this mild type of sunburn there are several remedies which will afford relief. The application of boric acid ointment, or a mixture of equal parts of linseed oil and lime water, will soothe and heal the inflamed skin. If a burn is of the second degree, blisters are formed, and it is not advisable to attempt self-treat-ment. I have formulated a sot of five rules .which will prove beneficial to those who wish .to avoid the dangers of sunburn, and helpful to those who desire the fashionable sun tan:— “ 1. Acquire a coat of - tan, if pos sible, by means of short exposures. “2. If your skin will not tan, you are a heliophobe, and should not expose yourself, as every new exposure means a new burn. “3. Do not sleep on the beach in the direct rays of the sun. “4. When fishing or sailing, remember that the water reflects the ultravoilet light, which may burn you. “5. During June, July, and August protect yourself from the direct rays of the sun, as a severe case of sunburn may cause serious illness, and even death.”