LIGHT AND COLOR

Evening Star, Issue 19663, 16 September 1927, Page 2

LIGHT AND COLOR

RELATION TO HEALTH EFFECT UPON HOSPITAL PATIENT “ Without any knowledge of germicidal and ' therapeutic effects of solar radiation,” says M. Luckicsh and A, J. Pacini in their interesting new book, ‘ Light and Health,’ “ the savage and many animals instinctively expose themselves and their wounds to tho sunlight. ... “ Elementary light-therapy has been practised for centuries by many civilisations, but until recently little scientific knowledge has been available. As this knowledge increases in the present age of systematic research tne future-of radiation in tho preservation and restoration of health glows with more and more brilliant promise. Thus tho importance of radiation has become very great in such realms as biology, physiology, and even psychology, for light and its by-products—brightness and color —have much influence upon mental life as well as upon tho actual structure of living things.” Aside from its therapeutic value ‘Light and Health’ speaks of tho tremendous psychological effect of light upon tho hospital patient. Many of us who have been confined to the hospital ourselves will agree that a room in a hospital, the temporary home of a patient, should as such bo decorated, lighted, and furnished as nnturallv as the home —at least in so far as is compatible with proper maintenance and necessary sanitation. The color schemes for walls should bo quite natural. And here, according to the hook, two choices are open to hospitals —tho warm and the cool color scheme. An example of tho former is a scheme of buff walls and ivory or cream ceilings; of tho latter, grey-green walls and a cream ceiling. In the hospital a leaning toward coolness seems logical, for it seems easier to keep a patient warm than cool. Furthermore, temperatures above normal aro_ common with patients, and so ‘Light and Health’ asks: ‘‘Why not cool the patient psychologically by means of the cool grey-green walls?” It is gratify-ing-to note that some progress in tins direction is gradually being made m modern hospitals. As 1 far as the lighting itself for hospital rooms is concerned, the book recommends that it bo subject to some degree of control so that subdued light, a good reading light for the patient, and a high intensity of illumination for tho doctors and nurses are available. The first may bo obtained with a shaded bracket or a portable, and containing a small shaded lamp. Brackets on each side of the head ot the lied, and containing 50-watt lamps in shades, will provide satisfactory illumination for reading. A large lamp in a pendant coiling fixture ol_ enclosing glass will supply a flood of light for other purposes. It would he used only, for cleaning the room and for emergen, cies and examination. Certainly patient should not be required to lid looking up at it for long periods. There might be some advantage in daylight lamps in the ceiling fixtures, and oven in the brackets for reading. Light of this quality is usually preferred for serious visual work and lor medical examination. On the other hand, the warmer light from; ordinary lamps is more homelike, and it would be best for tho subdued light, and possibly it might be the best compromise for the brackets near the bed.

Tho hospital or sanatorium has pnany opportunities for the study of the powers of color in nervous diseases. No better method of conducting such experiments is to be found than by the use of colored light. The ceilings should he painted a dull white, the walls a moderate grey, and the rest ol the room and its furnishings could be more or less colorless. _ Colored light can now bo obtained m largo quantities and conveniently by using available colored glass accessories with ordinary tungsten lamps. Red, green, and blue lights may be concealed in a cove, in wall boxes, in reflectors on pedestals, or in a- largo suspended opaque bowl. By mixing these, three lights any hue may ho obtained in a great range of intensities. The mixture may bo controlled by means of rheostats in each of the three circuits, or less flexibly by moans of switches for each of a number of colored lights, each light being controlled by its own switch. However, tho rheostats aro recommended as the best solution. Considering the psycho-physiological effects of light and color xu obtaining stimulation, depression, coldness, warmth, restfulness, and many othei reactions, it certainly behoves every hospital in the land to give its patients tho proper balance of these two blessings.