THE COLOURS THAT ARE GOOD FOR HEALTH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19800, 27 May 1926, Page 13

THE COLOURS THAT ARE GOOD FOR HEALTH.

“Premising that physically beneficial colours contain in some degree the hues of sunlight, I advanced crimson and scarlet as exciting colours; yellow, orange, orange-red, rose, and pink as exhilarating; azure, turquoise, green, and greenish-blue as soothing; grey, deep blue, purplishblue, and purple as depressing.” —“S. J. G., in the Schoolmaster. In my school I experimented in the lecture room, in which I found students to grow inattentive and show fatigue. The walls were grey of the deadest kind, and by trying various colours on screens I arrived at the choice of a light orange, which dispersed their languor (writes “S. J. C.,” in the Schoolmaster, detailing his experiences when searching for the most suitable colour and environment for his pupils.) My observations embraced amusing instances of colour influence. Among them was that of a local Mayor, a man of lively temperament, who at home spent most of his time in a smokingroom with dull slate-grey walls. While lie was away on holidays his wife had the room decorated with a brilliant scarlet in place of the dull grey. Un his return he was delighted with the smartness of his den, but he rapidly developed a violent headache, and became irritable. He grew worse. A doctor was called in, who ordered him to stay at home for a few days. But he got still worse. The doctor was puzzled, and it was only when a friend with a keen colour sense called and got a shock from the flaming scarlet that the real cause was discovered. The neutral tint which suited the Mayor's lively temperament was repainted on the walls, and all went well. Observation in the years that have passed since that time has tended to confirm my theory, and it is gratifying to find confirmation at the present time. Recently, in The Practitioner, Dr J. Dodson llessey stated that he has had successful results with colour treatment in cases of neuralgia, neuritis, insomnia, high blood pressure, mental depression, and other health disorders. He finds that the three most useful colours are green, blue, and orange. He says: “Green has a remarkable soothing effect upon the nervous system; it gives a sensation of warmth, relieves pain, and lowers blood pressure. Blue contracts the capillaries, gives a sensation of coolness, and tends to raise the blood pressure; it also acts as a tonic. Orange is a general stimulant, tonic, and vitaliser.” The future will no doubt reveal more precisely the degrees and directions of the influences of colour.