SUNLESS CITIES

Hokitika Guardian, 28 February 1925, Page 2

SUNLESS CITIES

HEALTH-GIVING RAYS LOST,

I, ON DON, December

A cause of the low birth rate in this country, according to Rrulossor I,eon-

aid Hill, director of the Department of Applied Physiology at the National In-tunte ill Medical Research, Hampstead. X.W.. i.-, that most people do mot get sullicient sunshine.

Speaking at a meeting in connection wifll the North Islington Infant Welfare Centre held at the residence of A’iseountess Harcourt, (if). Brook-street, AA.. yesterday, Professor Hill said:

" Open air and sunshine keep tip tiie breeding power of animals, and mi' 1 of the reasons for the falling oil’ in the breeding power of men and

women is that they are li\iug too much indoor lile—protected by clothes, staying behind glass windows, and not getting the sun and air as the old Romans did."

When children were horn they were swaddled in clothes instead of being exp.'sed to the health-giving and invigorating power of the sun. Most children were brought up on food which

did not contain the life-giving vitamins produced by the action of sun-light-white bread, sugar, margarine, and jam. A particularly grave menace to the health of people in London and all big towns in this country were the smoke clouds, which shut oil’ the sun’s ultra-violet rays, which were essential to health ami happiness. ARTIFICIAL SUNLIGHT.

With the ultra-violet rays from Spec'Ll I arc-lamps which h< - has, Professor Hill said lie had effected many cures in cases of rickets ami skin and other diseases, ami brought about great im-

provement in tubercular subjects. lie mi ntioned that at one time bo liimscll was tubercular, but ultraviolet rays and fresh air bad made him lit. His daily exposure to ultra-violet iavs lias given him a ruddily "sunburned" i iimolexmii. to w hich lie called the attention ol bis audience.

Speaking later to a reporter in bis laboratory at Hampstead of bis daily

measurements ol the degree of ultraviolet ravs from the sun. Professor Ilill

“ It is very significant that when 10 or ('veil more degrees ol ultra-violet rays have been refolded at Peppard, in Oxfordshire, only halt' a degree lias been measured here at Hampstead, and none at all in Kingsway. So we have proof enough oi how snmke-clouds rob us of ultra-violet rays."