Electric Sun Stroke.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6377, 24 October 1888, Page 3

Electric Sun Stroke.

At a recent meeting cf the Paris Surgical Society, Dr Terrier presented a communication from Dr Defontaine, chief : physician ab the Creusot Steel Works, on electric sunstroke— or, rather, electric light stroke. At present (Bayß the British Medical Journal) the electric light is used at these works for producing the high temperature required in casting and welding metals, metals placed in the electric arc melting as if by magic, and even steel be* coming soft as butter. At Creusot an * electric furnace has already been in use for some time. The electric arc in which the metals are placed is of enormous intensity, its light, concentrated on some few squarecentimetres, beingequalto more than 100,000 candles. The dazzling light ia , wonderful to look at ; but great care has to 7 . be taken in doing so, as unprotected persons ten metres distant, although feeling no heat, experience an acute pain in every respect resembling that of sun- * stroke. Even if the light be often discontinued for a while, those engaged in these experiments experience, after one or two . hours, a painful sensation in the throat, : face, and temples, whilst the skin assumes i a copper-red hue. Generally the eyes are protected by means of darkened glasses, : as those used when looking at the' sun ; bnt, in spite of this precaution, the retina becomes so affected that.: for many minutes afterwarde those: engaged in the work are unable to see any ■ objects! at all in daylight, and for more than an bour.afterwxrds all objectsassume a yellow colour. In the pupil of the eye an irritation is- caused, which lasts for forty-eight _ hours* afterwards, and which is fallowed by a very painful sensation, as if some foreign substance were introduced under the eyelids. The discharge of tears is -also very copious for W___ty-_our hours. ' Simultaneously headache ancL-leepleasneas • are experienced, which are caused partly; by the copious discharge of tears and; partly by the pain and the feverish stateof the body. Finally, daring tiie next; .few .days the skin of the face begins to peel off, ceasing only on tiie* fifth : day. Those who have seen Alpine guides ' returning from an ascent of the' glaciers in the middle of the summer can form an ideaof the effect produced by the -dectricaunstroke. The skin peels off . in-largepatches,-and the faces assumes a pretty phik colour. With the natural sunstroke heat plajs-a^ important part, if not the .most important part; but with the. electee sunstroke not the slightest heat is . experienced. Acouple-of metres from the light itself there is hardly any trace of a • ,xr_&_n temperature. All the heat is concentrated in the* electric arc, and still .persons twelve metres distant from the light maybe struck by the electric snn-' stroke. Therefore the cause must be ascribed to the intense light alone ; only the light-causes this irritation of the eyes and skin, and that is an interesting fact, sMll.f urther proving the great role played ' .by3ight-in. certain biological phenomena.