SHORTER NOTICES.
SUNSHINE AND OPEN AIR. By Leonard Hill, M.B., F.R.S. (London : Edward Arnold and Co. 10s. 6d. net.) SUNSHINE AND OPEN AIR. By Leonard Hill, M.B., F.R.S. (London : Edward Arnold and Co. 10s. 6d. net.)
In the introduction to Dr. Saleeby's book, Sunlight and Health, Professor Bayliss expressed the hope that research work into the scientific side of radiotherapy would shortly be forthcoming. His' hope has certainly been justified, for Dr. Leonard Hill has produced in Sunshine and Open Air a most valuable contribution to the theory of Radiotherapy and Open- Air Treatment. Up till very recently the influence of climate and sunlight upon people has been very empirically dealt with, but now a body of workers, eminent amongst whom is the author of that book, is engaged in investigating the physiological side of radiotherapy and medical climatology.
• From now onwards the well-worn doctors' dictum, "What you require is a change of air," acquires a new meaning, for it is possible to prescribe the atmospheric requirements scientifi- cally, with a. proper knowledge of the pharmacology, so to speak, of the climate advised. Again, the new science of
eliodynamics allows us to make careful differential measure- ments of the energy contained in sunlight and to apply that energy quantitively in therapeutics. Sunshine is compounded of many kinds of radiations possessed of different wave- lengths ; some are biologically active, others presumably inactive. The biological effects of these various radiations and the conditions which modify their action is being studied, a study which is opening up an entirely fresh field of thera- peutics. Fortunately many of the valuable radiations can be artificially produced by arc-lamps, mercury-vapour lamps, • and the like, and Ersatz-sunlight can, in a measure, serve in the place of the sun's rays which are so sadly deficient in quantity and quality over the greater part of Northern and Central Europe. It was not blindly that the Greeks made Apollo their god of healing, and honoured his son as foremost amongst the physicians. But it is only to-day that science is teaching us to re-discover the solar truths beneath the solar myths. Apollo's quiver contains many arrows ; a very few have been steeped in venom, but the tips of most have been dipped in Elixir Vitae.
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