SUNSHINE AND HEALTH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20960, 25 February 1930, Page 16

SUNSHINE AND HEALTH.

By E. S. The advent of really warm, summer weather has this year come almost too late for the school children to enjoy it to the full; but even they may spend some hours of each day in the sunshine, while the babies and the little ones not yet able to go to school may revel in it nearly all day long, for in our temperate climate it is seldom so hot even at noontide that we must retire indoors from the fierce glare. That light is a necessity for the wellbeing of human beings has been recognised horn the beginning of time. The ancient Egyptians, the Greeks, and the Romans were all firm believers in the healthgiving efficacy of the sun's rays, and applied them to the cure and prevention of the various ills that affiliated their people. We read that Solaria were estabiisueq in •'he villas of Home's leading citizens; while Hippocrates and other Roman physicians practised heliotherapy as we term treatment by sunlight. But it seems as though this science was to a great extent forgotten, and it is only m comparatively recent years that it has been re-discovered. In J 903 the first clinic in Europe for systemised treatment by sunlight was opened; and it is only about three years since London’s first sunbath for children was established. Lecturing recently on the effect of sunW on behalf of the National Society of Day Nurseries (England), a leading London doctor said: r ‘lt is no small matter to keep people well, rather than to make them well; not only to keep them fit but, to make them fitter than they are, *° inamtam and create that feeling of well-being which should be over present m each human body,, to enable it to feel the joy of life, the joy of work, the joy indeed of just being alive. . y . tLj stimulating effect of sensible exposure to sunligfit on the mentality of the normal individual though instinctively recognised by the summer holidays most of us enjoy has nof been adequately studied, and is not yet utilised to the best advantage “°r is it generally appreciated.” bo let ua make the most of these sunny days, ft is not necessary to go to the beach amt ho m the hot glare of dazzling white sand till our bodies are baked a painful scarlet.. Such treatment impairs Vltall *y« “ding very much more harm < r an good. Those adults who wish a snoit cut to the 'coveted “sun tan” may be prepared to suffer much discomfort ere their desire is attained, but it is nothing WhL' ° f f r?f, lty AL expose the ten der bodies of little children to strong sunshine in this drastic fashion. It is most necessary that they should he very gradually accustomed, to exposure. The following might be, found to be suitable stages for commencing to accustom children to fne simple life" that is unhampered bymuch in the way of clothing;— , o? a fine, warm morning the child could be stripped to singlet and shorts and permitted to play in the sunshine m a sheltered corner oi the veranda or yard for about an hour before the sun grows too warm, say, about 10 a.m. After a few days the singlet could be discarded and later the time might be increased till it extends from after breakfast till nearly tea time. Morning and evening there is t I cool breeze, and the child will feel better if more clothing is worn at these times. Of course, a wide-brimmed ff,™,® 11 protect the eyes and the , nec } c should always be ivorn Children love the freedom v ro m the restraint of /clothes, and will revel in the ■warm sunlight; the tiny ones will often vehemently oppose resuming their clothes even for the delight of a trip to town. • ven tiny babies will benefit by iudi“rf s u £ u athe ' , From “boot a month old the baby may be exposed to sunlight for a short time each day—care beiifc taken that the little one’s eyes are pn> tected from the bright light. Even “skv shine is believed to contain the valuable rays, so though baby is not in'the direct sunshine, but. is sleeping in hia cot m the shade of tree or hedge, be mav be .enjoying the life-giving rays to the

But it is not only the children who may benefit by the sunshine treatment. The writer knows of at least one yornm woman m Dunedin who on most warm do of aI J her housework in a bathing . ,L She keeps an overall behind the kitchen door ready to slip on should a tradesman call. Naturally fair, she is now _a lovely tan, and is brimful of health and vitality. Though many of us would not care to follow her exnmnle we might find that if we discard nnr stockings we are not only much cooler, but are also exposing a little more of the surface of the skin to the light: and with so many “nude” coloured stockings in StS! e real nucle is hardl y Dr Howard Humphries, an Enelish authority on the subject, says; has been noticed, and that is that wherever heliotherapy has been practised—and tr-Ait where the children are being treated by sunshine natural or artificial—the effect on their mentality k marvelirwf lheir vcr . y , nature seems to change Fretfulness vanishes, and a happy cheeriness replaces if Irritability away, and a bright good nature takes its place! ■n ‘ * ~ - w b° is never very il! never, very well often ailing with no definite illness, but usually troublesome. "/“A j retful : sunliffht opens the gate or the high road to health ” So ere the glowing summer flies let us utilise to the full the hours of sunshine that we may be rewarded by an improvement in both mental and bodily activity and the consequent feeling of well beimr energy, and abounding joy of life for truly it has been said that “Light is the life of man.