SUNSHINE AND LIFE 91 



there were forty-nine such institutions in Germany, 

 with four thousand beds ; in a little more than 

 twelve months later there were no less than sixty 

 such, with accommodation for altogether five 

 thousand patients. It is of interest to note that 

 amongst the earliest of these institutions to be 

 founded was that erected and endowed by the 

 famous Badischen Anilin and Soda Fabrik Com- 

 pany, for the exclusive benefit of those of their 

 workpeople who were suffering from tuberculous 

 disease. 



We have learnt that sunshine is endowed with 

 distinctly lethal action as regards particular bac- 

 teria, that it can modify the subtle properties of 

 toxic solutions, and we are asked to believe that 

 it may exercise an important influence on the 

 animal system in determining the power of the 

 latter to deal with the agents of disease ; but, as 

 we have seen, the mechanism of it all is shrouded 

 in mystery, and we are at a loss to divine how 

 it works. Might not some fresh light be thrown 

 upon this problem if we could ascertain the effect 

 of sunshine on some of these natural fluids of 

 the body, which recent brilliant research has 

 shown to be endowed with such wonderful pro- 

 tective or immunising properties? So far as I 

 am aware, the action of sunshine on these anti- 

 toxins or protective fluids has not yet been in- 



