MORE SUNSHINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20767, 9 January 1931, Page 12

MORE SUNSHINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN HEALTH. DAYLIGHT-SAVING BENEFITS. The health of the people has shown a marked improvement sinco daylight saving came into operation, according to an Auckland doctor. " Summer started late this year and what we arc gaining now from daylight saving wo lost through so many wet week-ends before Christmas, but tho fact remains that tho general health of the people is bettor for the extra half-hour of sunshine they receivo each day," lie said. " Not only does that extra sunshino increase everybody's resistance to disease, but thousands of young people who ordinarily would go straight home to dinner from their work aro now enjoying an hour's tennis or cricket beforo their evening meal, so improving their general physique. " It is no s«crct among doctors that we aro suffering rather lean times at present," ho addod with a smilo. " Especially is this the case whero tho children are concerned, and while that may bo due in a measure to the fact that so many of thern are away on holiday, it cannot bo put down entirely to that." The doctor said tho beneficial effect of the sun on tho normal person was produced by the reaction of tlia solar rays on tho substance under tho skin. This, when exposed to tho sun or to ultra-violet rays, was changed into vitamin ID, the lack of which was directly responsible for such diseases as rickets and tubercular glands. " llickets, of course, is a rarity in New Zealand," tho doctor said. " The real benefit of the sun to our people lies in its ability to improve tho bodily health and incroaso the resistance to disease. Exposuro to tho sun therefore makes one less prono to pick up tho ordinary cold and allied complaints." .It was necessary, he added, to utter a warning against injudicious sun-bathing. Every year, ho said, scores of people were treated in Auckland for serious sunburn or sunstroke. It was impossible to get too much sun, and a thoroughly browned was very healthy, but tho process of browning should be a slow one, to prevent excessive burning and blistering, and precaution should be taken against sunstroke. In Germany and Switzerland patients were exposed to tho sun limb by limb, the process occupying many weeks, and that was the safe rulo with all sunbathing.