HEALTH NOTES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 665, 17 May 1929, Page 2

HEALTH NOTES

SUNLIGHT THERAPEUTIC VALUE ARTIFICIAL METHODS (By Department of Health) The value of sunlight as a health- ■ giving agent has been recognised j since very early times. There are ! evidences that the ancient Egyptians j knew something of the therapeutic j value of the sun’s rays. With the ! growth of large towns and the artificial conditions imposed by the con- j ventions which arise where people j have congregated together, possibly this ancient knowledge lost some of; its significance if we are to judge by the narrow streets and cramped window space which we find in the older j towns; but in more modern times : sunlight has regained its true place j as one of the greatest gifts Nature j provides. Thus we find during the ; last half-century that various laws j and regulations were enacted to com- j bat the over-commercialisation of j space and light in our towns, and to j compel the builder of cheap dwellings j and work-places to provide windows j of a size commensurate with the space I to be provided with light. Our grandparents learned the value to their children of periodic trips to the seaside or country, though the benefits were somewhat vaguely attributed to a “change of air.” More recently still the importance of clothing permitting the action of the sun upon the skin has been realised. This reaction affects the blood and results in an increase of those vitamins which encourage growth and are antagonistic to rickets, thus it is in childhood especially that the benefits of suitable clothing may be expected. The average of height and weight of children of primary school age in New Zealand is very high compared with other civilised countries. Making due allowance for the advantages we can offer as to diet and freedom from over-crowding, it is probable that the common-sense costume which parents in this country have adopted for their youngsters has also contributed to this condition. Statistics show that girls of ten years of age and upwards are bigger than they were twentyyears ago, and where careful records of physical condition have been kept for many years an improvement in the average size of the boys was found to follow the adoption of the now generally accepted costume permitting bare knees and arms and open neck. HEALTH-GIVING RAYS

A study of the factors most productive of benefit in sunlight shows that it is not the light-giving rays but those which are invisible to the eye, known as “ultra violet” rays, which possess not only the growth-encour-aging powers we have, just mentioned, but also another power of great importance— that of increasing the bactericidal action of the blood. They also improve the power of the bodycells to take up nourishment. The infra red rays and the visible rays may assist in these processes, but it is the ultra violet radiation which is of the greatest importance. This knowledge led to the development of many appliances for the production specially of these invisible rays so that they might be used medicinally. It might seem unnecessary to thus supplement the sunlight by such artificial means, but it must be remembered that it is difficult in many places to get the full effects of sunlight—these effects being diminished where the sun is at a low altitude, so that the rays have to pass through a thicker layer of atmosphere and where there is atmospheric pollution. Thus during winter in a great town with a smoky atmosphere, such as in London, the value of the sunlight is greatly diminished. In passing, it is well to note that direct sunlight is not necessary, for the diffused light reflected from the sky is well charged with the valuable ultra-violet rays. Common window glass, however, is an effective filter preventing most of the rays entering a room through closed windows. ULTRA-VIOLET RAYS

The artificial production of ultraviolet rays can be secured in various ways, but the type of apparatus most commonly in use is the arc lamp in mercury vapour with a fused quartz envelope, since ordinary glass would not permit of the free escape of the rays. As is natural when a discovery passes from the arena of science to that of commercialism, the sale of the various forms of apparatus is now pushed with a certain recklessness. Many unjustified claims are made as to the power of the rays, and the public is invited to obtain ultra-violet ray machines in much the same way as they might have a gramophone. It is necessary, therefore, to utter a word of warning both as to the possible dangers lurking within the apparatus and also as to the limitations there are in regard to their therapeutic value.

One obvious danger readily recognised by all who have a knowledge of electric currents is that of faulty construction of the lamp and connections. Cases are on record where persons have been electrocuted by such lamps —more especially when they are used in connection with the bath. But there are dangers in the use of the ultra-violet rays as such. The dangers of over exposure to sunlight from sunstroke down to painful sunburning are familiar to all. Many persons, too, have experienced the feeling of lassitude and depression which follows the over-indulgence in the sunbath. These dangers are even more emphasised in the radiations from the ultra-violet apparatus. It must be noted that the rays from the lamp differ from those of sunlight as a great number of very short-wave-length rays are present in the former WITHIN WIRELESS RANGE— The following Vessels are expected to be within range of the undermentioned wireless stations tonight:— Auckland.——Ardenha. 11, Port Darwin, Flima roa, Maunganui. Chatham Islands.—Rangitiki, Port Auckland. Wellington.—Arahura, Aorangi, Maheno, Marama, Niagara, Ngaio, Remuera, Tamahine, Wahine, Baron Belhaven. Benholm, Matakana, Phoros, Port Campbell, Rotorua, Ruapehu, Port Victor, Karetu, Kaitoke. Awarua.—Makura, Manuka, Port Hunter, Tahiti, Hauraki, Taranaki, Paua. PORT OF ONEHUNGA— The Orepuki arrived at six o’clock this morning from Dargaville. She is loading for Nelson and West Coast ports, and is to be dispatched at 4.30 p.m. this afternoon. The Rarawa Vs due from New Plymouth at 2.20 am> tomorrow,

I which have been filtered out of' I sunlight in . its passage through atmosphere. These short-w»v e * are very potent, and it is fro® .J* 5 * that the principal dangers arise tv* ; there is lacking the play of the 'on the skin which accorr-nanie, A | natural sunbath. DANGERS TO BE AVOIDED The Department of Health in Bri,, has recently issued a warning on subject, drawing attention to the ■ | ger from burns and general ill-h.' T i which may arise from the ettmL? meat of violet rays except i supervision of those specially 00,1;, • by experience. The dangers fronu* , skilled radiation are real and fatal cases of exfoliative dertnaF 1 acute destructive inflammation of I skin) have occurred. Persons J? | it on themselves have been known- 1 fall asleep, and so get an overdo," Then lamps of even the same nu. ; vary very greatly in their powers the patients themselves vary i n . | reaction as to the rays. The ] symptons produced vary fronT. dening of the skin to great infiamm I I ion, swelling, and blisteriug, while ! general effects of overdosage mavu ! sleeplessness, loss of weight, indbJ? | ion. and mental depression. -j-t . | is some evidence that damage to th* j eye (cateract) may result w | injudicious exposure too the rs . In some diseases the effects J dangerous—thus in phthisis they t™ [ to induce haemorrhage. It can be realised then that then rays are no safe and simple reinedwhich, like a mild purgative, can U safely used by anyone. As on. writer puts it; “The rays can be compared to the administration of a dangerous drug.” Strychnine judicious ly used can be a most useful remedy in some diseases, but we do not on that account recommend the father of a family to keep a bottle of it handy so that anyone who fancies It mir;do him good may help himself. Th, area exposed to the rays must be strictly limited according to the physical condition and reaction of the patient, and the doses must be ad. ministered at due intervals. These things can only be learned by eiper. ence.

NOT A CURE-ALL Even those in the medical profession who have devoted years of study id ray treatment will admit that they are so far on the edge of a complete knowledge of the uses and limitation? of this remedy. Sir Henry Gauvaiu, whose work in regard to the sun-bath treatment for ailing children is so well known, does not claim the sunshine to be a cure-all. He regards i) as an adjuvant, and a valuable one, to other methods of treatment This is simply common sense. Thonfb we acclaim the value of sunlight 10 the growing child, we do not sav; “Put him in the sun. and don’t worry about his diet or his cleanliness.'' The danger when a new remedy is set before the public is that it tends for a time to be overestimated in valor, and then when disappointment follows the pendulum of opinion swings too far in the opposite direction. It was doubtless with the purpose of checking this over-enthusiasm that tbs Council of Medical Research recently issued what was regarded as a cold douche by the ultra-violet ray enthusiasts. The council appointed a committee of investigators to follov up the various clinical uses of the artificial ray, and give a dispassionate scientific analysis of the results thus obtained. More especially did tier concentrate on the antirachitic and vitality-inducing factor claimed for the rays, and observations on a number of children from the poor parts of London were made over a long period. All the children had similar diet, but in one group were subjected to properly-graduated ultra-violet ray treatment, and some were not It was found that the latter gained in height, weight, and vitality just as much as those who had the ray treatmetn. A similar experiment conducted in Canada, especially in regard to the susceptibility to catch cold, showed —as in England—that no protection against catarrh resulted. Commenting on the results of many observations as to the application ot the rays to growing children, the committee appointed by the council remarked that “No objective evidence is provided that results have been achieved that could not have been far more cheaply obtained by proper fooctherefore exercise and fresh air are greatly preferable to indoor sessions around a lamp.” It is not denied that the rays ia T °- a marked effect In some diseases, as, for example, rickets, but it is questioned whether \v it h sunlight win suitable food, there is any need for the rays even in this condition. I* certain chronic infections of the skinsuch as lupus and tubercle, the W s have a very marked effect, due partb to an increase in the bactericide power of the blood. But this increase is evanescent. The application r heat and other irritants to the swr have the same effect, and there is » reason to think that artificial lig can do more than a mustard plaste., which is infinitely cheaper. It will be observed that the corn ml tee acknowledge the potency of tw ultra-violet rays in certain conditions They question, however, whether are really any further forward m 0 treatment of disease by this new rem edy. Further experience may remspecific uses for these rays. ‘ - remark: “On the other hand the com mittee has found no reason for * ened confidence in the claims by a number of distinguished cI “U observers for the value of the care ■ regulated exposure of patients natural sunlight especially in . conditions as surgical tuberculoem This conclusion is indeed satisiaci • to us who dwell in New Zealand, sunlight is plentiful. ,