Light Therapy in Mental Hospitals

1929 ◽  
Vol 75 (310) ◽  
pp. 410-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Dove Cormac
Keyword(s):  
Ultra Violet ◽  
Light Therapy ◽  
Electric Arc ◽  
Mercury Vapour ◽  
The Sun ◽  
The Past ◽  
Mental Hospitals ◽  
Quartz Mercury ◽  
Mercury Vapour Lamp ◽  
Carbon Arc

The value of sunlight in the maintenance of health has been recognized from early ages, and history records sun-worship by many nations in the past as well as at the present time. In Europe records exist of the use of the light of the sun for medical and surgical purposes since before the Christian era, but it was only towards the end of the last century that its possibilities began to be studied and the value of the electric arc lamp as a substitute recognized. In 1893 Finsen demonstrated the value of sunlight and electric arc radiation in the treatment of lupus, and at the beginning of the present century Bernhard of Samaden treated wounds and tuberculous lesions with sunlight. In 1903 Rollier opened his first clinic at Leysin, where he obtained excellent results in the treatment of tuberculosis, especially of the surgical type, by insolation in the brilliant Alpine sunshine. In 1908 Gauvain introduced heliotherapy at Hayling Island and at Alton. Nagelschmidt used the air-cooled quartz mercury vapour lamp for general irradiation in the same year, and in 1913 Reyn commenced the use of the carbon arc for the same purpose. The value of ultra-violet rays in the cure of rickets was not recognized till demonstrated by Huldschinsky in 1918, though Palm (1), as early as 1890, urged that deficiency of sunshine was a cause of the condition.

scholarly journals The photo-chemistry of potassium permanganate.-Part II. On the energetics of the photo-decomposition of potassium permanganate

1923 ◽  
Vol 103 (722) ◽  
pp. 366-382 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Potassium Permanganate ◽  
Wave Length ◽  
Ultra Violet ◽  
Mercury Vapour ◽  
Interesting Contribution ◽  
Quartz Mercury ◽  
Mercury Vapour Lamp ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Photo Chemistry ◽  
Photo Decomposition

It has been demonstrated in a previous communication that potassium permanganate is decomposed on illumination by light from the quartz mercury-vapour lamp. It was, therefore, of interest to determine the wave-length of the chemically active light and to investigate if possible the validity of the Einstein law of photo-chemical equivalent which so far has been stated not to apply to substances in solution. A study was, therefore, made of the absorption spectrum of potassium permanganate, particularly with reference to the ultra-violet, since this region is the most lacking in qualitative data. The absorption in the visible regions of the spectrum has been studied by many authors, notably Formänek, and has recently been the subject of an interesting contribution by Hagenbach and percy, who have the subject of an interesting contribution by Hagenbach and percy, who have resolved it into a simple spectral series.

scholarly journals Certain pathological effects of ultra-violet radiation on mosquito larvæ and pupæ

1932 ◽  
Vol 112 (774) ◽  
pp. 27-38 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Function ◽  
Wave Length ◽  
Ultra Violet ◽  
Mercury Vapour ◽  
Mosquito Larvae ◽  
Wave Band ◽  
Ultra Violet Radiation ◽  
Quartz Mercury ◽  
Mercury Vapour Lamp ◽  
Violet Radiation

In the course of recent work on the possible effect the ultra-violet wave-band may have on the activation of ovarian function in female mosquitoes, it became apparent that mosquito larvae are highly susceptible to a remarkable form of injury by radiations from the unshielded mercury-arc generated by the ordinary Cooper-Hewitt vacuum type of quartz mercury-vapour lamp. This effect upon the larvae has been studied, and an attempt was made (1) to determine the wave-length of the radiations responsible for the injury by means of screens interposed between the lamp and the larvae; and (2) to ascertain the physiological and histological nature of the injury.

scholarly journals Growth under Vita Glass

1932 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian N. Sutherland
Keyword(s):  
Window Glass ◽  
Growth Curves ◽  
Ultra Violet ◽  
Normal Rate ◽  
Mercury Vapour ◽  
Short Discussion ◽  
Natural Sunlight ◽  
White Rats ◽  
Quartz Mercury ◽  
Mercury Vapour Lamp

White rats reared from the age of 30 days to 275 days under vita glass, and properly fed, do not grow at a different rate from those reared under ordinary glass.The offspring of these rats, kept in the same environment, grow at the normal rate when compared with controls born and reared under ordinary window glass.A short discussion of these results is given in the text.Addendum. The temptation to use an artificial source of ultra-violet rays having proved irresistible, a further experiment was performed with 20 males, 10 under vita glass and 10 under window glass. These were exposed to the radiation of a Hanovia quartz mercury vapour lamp on alternate days, at a distance of four feet from the burner. The growth curves are shown on Chart V, and the lengths of exposure have been entered on this chart: it will be seen that the results are the same as with natural sunlight.

scholarly journals The distillation of vitamin D

1930 ◽  
Vol 107 (748) ◽  
pp. 76-90 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Vacuum Distillation ◽  
Complex Mixture ◽  
Ultra Violet ◽  
Mercury Vapour ◽  
Silica Tube ◽  
Ethereal Solution ◽  
Mercury Vapour Lamp

The work described below has been done in an attempt to isolate vitamin D from the complex mixture formed by the ultra-violet irradiation of ergosterol. It is evident that vacuum distillation might be of use for this purpose, but, except for a brief statement by Windaus and Holtz (1927), we are unaware of previous work on the distillation of vitamin D. We have distilled various products obtained from ergosterol, and most frequently have used resinous products prepared as follows. A solution of ergosterol in ether was exposed to the unfiltered radiation from a mercury vapour lamp while flowing through a narrow silica tube at a rate such tat about 40 per cent. of the ergosterol was destroyed. Thy unchanged ergosterol was then removed by precipitation with digitonin as described in a previous paper (Webster and Bourdillon, 1928) and the ethereal solution of the products of radiation was evaporated in vacuo to a dry resin.

scholarly journals The coagulation of protein by sunlight

1922 ◽  
Vol 93 (651) ◽  
pp. 235-248 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Coefficient ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Wave Length ◽  
Ultra Violet ◽  
Protein Molecule ◽  
Mercury Vapour ◽  
Absorption Bands ◽  
Ultra Violet Light ◽  
Violet Light ◽  
Mercury Vapour Lamp

It was first shown by Dreyer and Hanssen (1) in 1917 that ultra-violet light produced a change in protein solutions which appeared to be similar to coagulation by heat. They exposed various solutions in quartz chambers to the light of a Bang lamp with iron and silver electrodes. Vitellin was found most easily coagulated, while globulin, albumin and fibrinogen showed a decreasing sensitivity to ultra-violet rays in the order mentioned. These investigators also discovered that acids markedly increase the rate of precipitation. Soret (2) had shown in 1883 that there are absorption bands in the extreme ultra-violet region of the spectrum of various proteins, e. g. , casein, ovalbumin, mucin and globulin. Tyrosine likewise has this band in the ultra-violet and Soret attributed to this constituent of the protein molecule its power of absorbing ultra-violet rays. In this connection Harris and Hoyt (3) carried out some interesting experiments on the protective power of various substances for paramœcium cultures exposed to ultra-violet radiations. They found that gelatin peptone, amino-benzoic acid, cystine, leucine and especially tyrosine possessed the power of detoxicating ultra-violet rays when placed as a thin layer of aqueous solution over paramœcium cultures under a quartz-mercury lamp. The toxicity of the radiations for paramœcia or protoplasm in general can be understood in the light of the discovery of Dreyer and Hanssen coupled with that of Soret. From a physico- chemical standpoint Bovie (4) has published a study of the coagulation of proteins by ultra-violet light. By exposing solutions of crystalline ovalbumin, both dialysed and containing electrolytes, to the light of a mercury-vapour lamp, he came to the conclusion that there were two reactions involved in the coagulation of ovalbumin by ultra-violet light. The first is a photochemical one with a low temperature coefficient,—denaturation; and the second is one with a higher temperature coefficient of two and is dependent upon the electrolytes present,—coagulation. While using solutions dialysed against tap water Bovie made the observation that the protein appeared to become sensitive to light of longer wave-length, for his control tubes in glass were slowly coagulated.

scholarly journals The effect of light on the circulation

1925 ◽  
Vol 99 (694) ◽  
pp. 28-40
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Clinical Work ◽  
Mercury Vapour ◽  
Individual Variations ◽  
Quartz Mercury ◽  
Mercury Vapour Lamp ◽  
Original Application ◽  
Effect Of Light

It has long been the practice in clinical work to apply measures for the lowering of blood pressure in hyperpiesis. The immediate purpose of this investigation is to examine the basis upon which phototherapy stands as a suitable agent for the lowering of blood pressure. The original application of light baths by Finsen is an expression of his belief in this form of therapy. Among the earliest quantitative observations are those of K. A. Hasselbalch and Jacobäus (1), who found that repeated exposures to the total radiations of the carbon are caused a fall in the blood pressure of about 10 per cent, in the medium-sized arteries. Bach (2) obtained similar results in 105 out of the 109 cases exposed to the quartz mercury- vapour lamp. These observers state that the lowering of blood pressure persisted for about a month. More recent observations by H. Königsfeld (3) corroborate these earlier findings, with the exception of a few individual variations.

scholarly journals Effects of ultra-violet radiation upon involuntary muscle, and the supposed physiological interference of visible rays

1926 ◽  
Vol 99 (696) ◽  
pp. 221-229 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Ultra Violet ◽  
The Other ◽  
Pigment Cells ◽  
Mercury Vapour ◽  
Ultra Violet Radiation ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Involuntary Muscle ◽  
Mercury Vapour Lamp ◽  
Violet Radiation ◽  
Exciting Effect

It was shown by Adler (1) that involuntary muscle is excited and its tone increased by radiation with ultra-violet rays. The excised frog’s stomach, the bladder and the uterus of the rabbit, and that of the guinea-pig, were suspended by him, each in a suitable salt solution, and excited by the mercury vapour lamp. With a glass screen interposed no result was obtained, the visible and longer ultra-violet rays, e. g ., those longer than about 3200 A. U., having no exciting effect. There may be recalled the old observation of Lambert (1760) that the excised iris of fish and frogs reacts to light by contraction; the visible rays in this case act through the pigment which absorbs them (Steinach, Hertel). Contraction of the pigment-free ventral band of the earth-worm can be produced by ultra-violet, but not by visible rays. On the other hand, visible rays excite the pigmented ventral band of Sipunculus nucleus (Hertel, 2). Probably the nerve plexus is excited by the conversion of visible rays into heat in the pigment cells which absorb these rays.

scholarly journals The photo-chemistry of potassium permanganate. Part 1.—Application of the potentiometer to the study of photo-chemical change

1923 ◽  
Vol 103 (721) ◽  
pp. 342-366 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Potassium Permanganate ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Chemical Change ◽  
Rapid Change ◽  
Mercury Vapour ◽  
Electrode Potentials ◽  
Quartz Mercury ◽  
Mercury Vapour Lamp ◽  
Photo Chemistry ◽  
Photo Decomposition

In investigating the effect of the light from the quartz mercury-vapour amp on the electrode potentials of solutions of various electrolytes, a very marked and rapid change was noticed in the case of potassium permanganate. The nature of the effect suggested that it is the result of a photo-decomposition of the potassium permanganate, and the following research was undertaken to confirm the hypothesis and discover the mechanism of the chemical change. A study of the literature revealed the fact that little work has been accomplished on the photo-chemistry of the permanganates. Pouguet has stated that, in the presence of a depolariser (oxalic acid), potassium permanganate is light-sensitive, reduction taking place to potassium manganate. Matthews and Dewey noticed a very slight decomposition, with the separation of a brown oxide, when a strong solution of permanganate is illuminated by a quartz mercury-vapour lamp. They were unable to obtain any quantitative data on the rate of decomposition, nor were any experiments made to elucidate the mechanism of the process.

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