126 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VoL "Vie 
Chiefly through the influence of the Queen of Greece a Light Institute 
was opened at Athens, and among other places where treatment by light 
is now carried on may be mentioned Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Vienna, 
Buda-Pesth, Paris, Cairo, New York, Baltimore, Washington, Chicago and 
Toronto. 
Crowned heads seemed to vie with one another in their homage to 
this remarkable man. On the occasion of his last visit to Copenhagen not 
only did His Majesty King Edward and Queen Alexandra visit the Light 
Institute but called on Professor Finsen at his home afterwards. The 
Emperor of Germany when in Copenhagen a little over a year ago, was 
also a visitor to the Institute, and before leaving it said to the Crown 
Prince, ‘‘See that you erect a monument to Finsen during his lifetime.” 
But the Lys-institut is Finsen’s best monument. It is also related that 
the Dowager Empress of Russia, calling upon Finsen and finding that he 
was too ill to be seen, pleaded with his devoted wife to be allowed to see him, 
and on being admitted to his study, wept bitterly in sympathy with his 
suffering. And incidents like these might be multiplied almost indefinitely, 
all going to show the keen personal friendship that existed between this 
brave, uncomplaining invalid, and all the members of the Danish Royal 
Family. 
What like was this man, who seemed to draw with irresistable magnet- 
ism, all who were privileged to come within the influence of his charm? 
What of the man himself? for we have dealt merely with his work. In 
answer it may be said that his work was his life. One writer has said of 
him that his ‘‘life was almost wholly the life of a mind; he had few phy- 
sical capacities left him. All the physical strength he possessed merely 
entailed for him so much power to endure physical suffering. That is 
the great fact which makes his life marvellous; and see how much work, 
and what wonderful work, his courage enabled him to get through.’””* 
Let us go back a bit, not far, for he died young. Forty-five years ago 
the world had not known Niels Finsen, and the whole world was just that 
much poorer, for many a hopeless lupus sufferer died utterly unaided 
in his loathsome disfigurement. But now, from the altar of a life of almost 
endless pain and suffering there ascendeth, and shall ever ascend the sweet 
incense of hope and health for the sick and weary. Of him it may truly 
be said, ‘‘ He gave his life for the sick.”’ 
Niels Ryberg Finsen was born on December 15th, 1860, on the Island 
of Stromo, at Thorshavn, the capital and chief town of the Faroe Islands, 
which lie between Iceland and the Shetlands, and belong to Denmark. 
* ‘*The Spectator,’’ London Oct. 1, 1904. 
