IS MOONLIGHT DANGEROUS.

Woodville Examiner, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4627, 14 May 1915, Page 4 (Supplement)

IS MOONLIGHT DANGEROUS.

The alleged harmfulness of moonlight is at last receiving scientific attention. It seems, according to a writer in the “ Chemical News,” that the light of the moon, being reflected, is polarised; that is, the vibrations are in one plane instead of all planes, as in light coming directly from its source. It is also said that it has less germicidal power than direct light, and that decay is therefore quicker. All this may be true and it may explain some of the folk lore as to moonlight. We have bo long believed these tales to be the myths of primitive peoples that we are not inclined to take any suggestions in this line seriously. They are really mistaken attempts at the scientific explanation of phenomena noticed for the first time. The folktales seemed to have originated in lands of very clear atmosphere, and it is extremely doubtful whether in misty climates moonlight has any ocular or nervous effect one way or the other. Still we are often surprised at the facts elicited from still more bizarre investigations. Surely polarised lightnuist have injurious retinal effects, and it might l e well to find out that much.