Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 June 1890 — SUNLIGHT A TONIC. [ARTICLE]

SUNLIGHT A TONIC.

Disaase Lurks in Darkness—People Much Uke Plants. Sunlight being indispensable to the preservation of the health, it is none the less indispensable to the sick in order to regain their health. Exclusion of sunlight from the sick room, unless it is imperatively necessary, is very unwise. The sick-room should always be so located that the sun will shine into it as many hours daily as possible. A good illustration of the injurious effects on the sick of deprivation ol sunlight is given by Dr. Hammond in his treatise on hygiene. He says: “I shall never forget the appearance presented by the sick of a regiment I inspected in Western Virginia. They were crowded into a small room from which the light was shut out by ■blinds of India-rubber-cloth. Pale and exsanguined, ghostlike-looking forms, they scarcely seemed mortal. Convalescence was almost impossible, and doubtless many of them died who, had they been subject to the simplest laws of nature, would have recovered.” In convalescence from almost all diseases sunlight acts, unless too intense or too long continued, as a most healthful stimulus both to the nervous and physical systems. The evil effects of keeping such invalids in obscurity are frequently very decidedly shown, anu cannot be too carefully guarded against uy the physician. The deleriuin and weakness which are cy no means se.doui met with in convalescents ke\ b in uarkness, disappear like magic when the rays of the sun are allowed to enter the chamber. Wounds heal with greater rapidilwhen light is allowed to reach tiiem than when they are kept continually covered. Enough instances of the beneiici;! ' effects of sunlight have been given, n is hoped, to induce people to op their blinds and lei the light into tb< i houses; even if it does fade the ear pets, it will brighten the cheeks of ilw’•nnjutes and gladden liieir hearts