SUNSHINE AND LIFE 



IT was nearly a century ago that a German 

 physician incidentally wrote, "Our houses, 

 hospitals, and infirmaries will, without doubt, 

 some day be like hot-houses, so arranged that 

 the light, even that of the moon and stars, is per- 

 mitted to penetrate without let or hindrance." 

 This was spoken long before the world of micro- 

 organisms had been discovered, but curiously has 

 found an echo in the writings of a distinguished 

 bacteriological chemist in recent years. " Laissons 

 done entrer largement partout 1'air et le soleil," 

 writes M. Duclaux ; " c'est la une maxime bien 

 ancienne, mais si les mots sont vieux 1'idee qu'ils 

 revetent est nouvelle." The interpretation of this 

 ancient maxim is indeed very modern, and we 

 must turn to the investigations made within the 

 past few years to learn with what justification 

 M. Duclaux thus expresses himself, for it is only 

 comparatively recently that we have learnt the 

 novel fact that sunshine, whilst essential to green 

 plant life, is by no means indispensable to the most 

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