Evening Star Newspaper, May 25, 1932, Page 11

) LIFE AND LIGHT CLOSELY LINKED Sun’s Radiation Performs Important Work for All Organisms. The threads of life and light are fnterwoven in an intricate pattern. The minute relationships are shown in a report of a study just issued by the Division of Radiation and Organisms of the Smithsonian Institution. ‘The basic factor involved, it is pointed out by Dr. F. S. Brackett of the Smithsonian staff, is the penetration of water by different wave lengths of radiation. The chief constituent of all living things is water. Life arose, possi- bly owing in part to the action of radi- ation from the sun, from the primeval sea, and remains fundamentally a phe- nomenon of that chemical combinatian. Generally speaking, Dr. Brackett ex- plains, the penetration limit of any radiation wave length into a living organism is predetermined by the trans- mission characteristics of water. Other substances mixed into the organic com- plex of the plant or animal body may make the penetration much less, but they hardly can make it greater. Plots Biological Curve. So the fundamental biological curve, n so far as radiation relationships are concerned, is that of water transmission of light waves. Dr. Brackett has plotted this relationship from wave lengths of approximately 10 microns, a ten-thou- sandth of a millimeter, which lie far in the range of the invisible infra-red band of the spectrum through the bands of visible and the invisible ultra-violet light. With this fundamental curve are compared those of the wave ranges of various sources of radiation which are commonly used — high - temperature lamps familiar in the pthucmn‘s office and the sun. Striking differences are shown. For example, the longest visible light rays which are at the extreme end of the red band and measure about .7 of & micron can go through 30 centimeters of water before the light intensity is reduced to half its original value. But s short way farther down the scale in the infra-red, where the waves are about a micron and a half in length, the penetrating power is reduced almost 10,000 times. The greater part of the radiation which comes from the cus- tomary dull-red therapeutic lamp in the physician’s office, it is shown, lies within this low penetrating infra-red band. It must be considered a little more than a surface heater, with little capacity for getting heat into the cells. Solid Body Is Used. The next light source considered by Dr. Brackett is a solid body at a tem- perature of approximately 3,000 de- grees, such as would be represenied by & high-temperature lamp. Such radia- tion, it is shown, can be expected to g;?etmte somewhat into living matter. e greater part of the energy is in the near infra-red. The greater part of the sun's energy, on the other hand, Hes in the region of visible light. This has considerable penetrating power, it is shown, by the water curve. A common instrument in medical practice is the mercury arc lamp. This produces wave lengths of extreme in- tensity in the ultra-violet—blue. yellow and green bands of the spectrum—but sunburn is less likely. In this connec- tion is noted the curfous fact that the very region of the spectrum which is so valuable as a rickets preventative is also the region which kills most ef- fectively the minute plants known as algae, which are irradiated with it. PROCTOR TO BE SPEAKER “Y” History to Be Told at Ban- quet. History of the Y. M. O. A. in Wash- | ington will be traced by John Clagett | Proctor, authority on local history, in an address tonight at the annual old- timers’ reunion of the Y. M. C. A. at the Central “Y" Building, 1736 G street Members of the Y. M. C. A. who have been on the rolls of the organization for 10 years or more will attend the | reunion, which will take place around the banquet table at 6 c'clock. Ar- rangements are in charge of a com-| mittee of which C. W. Pimper is chair- | man. GOLF TOURNAMENT University of Michigan Club to| Stage Event. The third annual tournament for the | Scott Turner golf trophy will be held at Washington Golf and Country Club | Friday for members of the University of Michigan Club of Washington. Following the tournament there will be a dinner and entertainment, fea- tured by a talk by Clifford K. Berry- man, cartoonist of The Star, on “Pres- idents I Have Known.” George D.| Caste will be toastmaster and Henry | Ravenel heads the Arrangements Com- | ORD_PRESTON resident you plan: —Provide an income Trustee Your Insurance with the UNION TRUST and you can make sure that the funds will do any of the following and other things for which —Provide for a child’s education ~—Provide an income for your wife or other dependents —Provide funds for the payment of special obligations. THE EVENING GRAIN MARKET’S HEAD IS ASSAILED Kansas Representative Doubts -“High Motives” of Carey’s Crit- cism of Farm Board. ‘The_“high motives” and usefulness of Peter B. Carey, president of the Chicago Board of Trade, in his criticism of the Farm Board’s administration of stabil- ization funds and the wheat surplus were questioned today by Representative Strong of Kansas, In a statement he said Carey had charged the board with depressing wheat prices to the lowest level in his- tory, and answered: “For the first time in history wheat prices in Chicago are higher than Liver- pool, which before Congress the marketing act was always 11 to 14 cents above Chicago. This “accomplishment | is in spite of the effcrts of the Chicag Board of Trade to destroy the effective- | ness of the Government agency in its | effcrt to aid farmers.” The Kansan also referred to Carey's | remark that at least six members of | the Farm Bcard wheat and sell it on the Chicago Board of Trade could take the market at increasing prices. Strong sald the board has less than | Eves E: ' Eienn DR. CLAUDE S. SEMONES Eyesight Specialist Phene National 0721 409-41 Potn a3 Bie” o for aged parents OF COLUMBIA SOUTHWEST CORNER FIFTEENTH AND H STREETS NORTHWEST its most powerful line of all lies in the infra-red. It is readily transmitted by both water and flesh. It will go gh the aqueous humor of the eve be absorbed chiefl v nere it may produce Dr. Brackett nex: plots the light pen- eration of flesh. This is greatest just between the infre-red and the visible bands of the spectrum. The penetra- tion of longer waves is cut short by the trensmission capacity of water. As the light passes into the visible spec- trum, other constituents of protoplasm tend to stop it. It is within the narrow band between these two—where the radiation waves range arcund one mi- cron in length—that there is the great- est possibility of getting heat into the underlying cells in distinction from merely heating the surface. Curious Relationship Band. A curious relationship which mav prove of considerable value in medicine is found in the ultra-violet band. These extremely short, invisible waves produce sunburn. They also seem to be asso- ciated with vitamin D, which prevents rickets. They produce this necessary substance in certain food which are radiated with them. They also seem to build it up in the body itself. Now, the study shows, the vitamin- producing wave lengths fall to a large extent in the very narrow wedge which lies between the wave lengths most effective in producing sunburn. using this range the possibility is opened up of radiating human beings or ani- mals with this vitamin-producing radia- tion much more intensively than has been possible before without producing painful burns. Either the more sunburn-producing wave lengths could be taken out by means of a filter or by choosing a source of light whose radiation lies very largely within the vitamin creating b: where OLYMPIC m Close-ups of Mt. 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Amoco keeps your motor cleaner. .. freer from [nionTr Company , OF THE DISTRICT STAR, WASHINGTON, 100,000,000 bushels of wheat, while there had been estimates there would be 35?,0(1)0.000 bushels of “free” wheat on uly 1. Strong is the author of a bill under which $100,000,000 of Reconstruction Finance Corperation funds could be turned over to the Secretary of Agri- culture to finance sales of stabilization wheat and cotton in foreign markets. i alen Plan Operetta Tonight. “Boy Bandits,” an operetta, will be resented by the Junior Holy Name ys of 8t. Martin's Church tonight at 8 o'clock in the Immaculate Concep- tion Hall, N street near Seventh. In- cluded in the program will be Ann Don- dero’s Radio Kiddies. —_— ‘The celebrated Beadle series of dime novels began in 1860 and had an enormous vogue and sale among the soldiers in the Civil War. D. C, WEDNESDAY, DOUGHOREGAN SHOW SET FOR SATURDAY Howard County Charity Event to Be Held in 0ld Carmdll Estate, The Doughoregan Manor Horse Show, annual Howard County charity event, | will be held Saturday on the old Charles Carroll estate, near Ellicott City, Md., it was announced today. : Opening at 10 am., the show will continue all day. The Carroll estate is located on the Frederick pike, about one hour from Washington. In charge of arrangements will be Mrs. Howard Bruce, Mrs. Edwin War- fleld, jr., and Mrs. W. Bladen Lowndes. Lieut. Col. C. R. Mayo will act as judge of the classes. T is Good Taste to Serve of its Quality. It is because of .............Q.l.....‘ On Your Table Compare its Freshness and Delicious Flavor with any Butter—you be the judge our direct connections and tremendous output that we are able to sell you the Finest Butter in America at such a reasonable price. Quality Controlled from Cow o Counter. 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