ASTONISHING PEOPLE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 287, 26 March 1941, Page 3

ASTONISHING PEOPLE

A BLIND MAN'S GIFT He was blind, but lie helped others to see their way. For 25 vea -s his world was dark, but Itis lights shone out over land and sea. Few men have done more For their fellow than this man. Dr. Nils Gustaf Dalen who passed away at Stockholf in the last month of 1937. He it was who invented the famous AGA beacon sun-valve light* So notable an inventor was he that lie received the Nobel prize.

; From being a boy he was ever ox- : perimcnting, and it was while busy with a gas accumulator that he lost his sight in an accident. Most men would have given in then, but no so this strong man. He went on. He assumed that he could see, and insisted on doing everything that a man with sight might be oxpccted to do. He invented a machine which automatically changes gas dantlcs in solitary coast lights. He went on to invent lamps which automatically light themselves at sunset and put themselves out at sunrise. Instead of men having to spend weary months on isolated rocks where n light shines for mariners, a DaTen light once set going looks after iN self, changes* its mantle from time to time, lights up and goes out as if someone were there to see to it. It is claimed that not one of these lamps has ever gone out. These beacons shine round the world—guiding shipping and planes, making the world safer, keeping in mind the name of the amazingly blind man who could not see the lights which he invented. All the world over to-day the name of Daien lamps is regarded as the high Avatcrma'k of perfection and accuracy. Nothing,was too much trouble. In Ills factory every care was taken to make sure that every lamp was flawless. It was a great ambition, but Dalen saAv (if one might say that of a'blind man) that it was achieved.