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104
APPENDIX M.
REPORT ON ARTIFICIAL LIGHT TREATMENT FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF
TREATMENT ON THE 16th NOVEMBER, 1925, TO THE 31st DECEMBER, 1925,
by
H. Haldin-Davis, M.D., M.R.C.P., F.R.C.S., Dermatologist to the Council.
(1) The Medical Officer in charge of the treatment is H. Haldin-Davis, M.A., M.D., B.Ch.,
F.R.C.S., M.R.C.P., Dermatologist to the Willesden Urban District Council and Royal Free Hospital.
His appointment was approved by the Board of Education and the Ministry of Health on the 31st
August, 1925.
(2) The Nursing Staff employed in connection with the Artificial Light Therapy consists of :—
Sybil Miriam Smith. Fully trained nurse, London Hospital, 4 years ; 3 months in
the Light Department of the London Hospital giving treatments by means of the Finsen
and Mercury Lamps ; conjoint certificate Chartered Society of Massage and Medical
Gymnastics; C.M.B. Certificate ; Health Visitors' Certificate Royal Sanitary Institute.
Miss Smith has been doing the Artificial Sunlight work since the Clinic opened, on the
16/11/25.
(3) The type of lamp used is a Flaming Carbon Arc of Siebe & Gorman, working at 30 amps.
(4) The current used is direct. The voltage from the main is 240, but this is reduced by means
of a resistance to 95 at the terminals of the lamp.
The lamp hangs in the middle of a small room. Round it is arranged a quadrangular barrier,
which keeps the patients at a proper distance. About 10 patients can be treated simultaneously.

The 28 patients were all referred to the Light Department by the whole-time Medical Officers
at the Council's Clinics.
(6) The general plan of campaign is to give each patient three treatments a week, beginning
with 5 minutes exposure only, back and front, on the first occasion, and subsequently lengthening
the exposure by 5 minutes each time, until a maximum of half-an-hour, back and front, is attained,
so that after a fortnight each patient has an hour's exposure at each attendance. In the case of very
young babies these exposures have been diminished, especially at the beginning of treatment.
(7) It is intended to make three months the usual period for each patient to attend the department,
only in exceptional circumstances will they be allowed to attend for longer periods. This
limitation is necessary in order to make room for new patients, of whom there is no lack.
(8) The temperature and pulse of each child is not taken before and after each treatment. It
has been taken occasionally and no effect has been noted. No febrile patients are treated. The same
remarks are true of blood pressure, if there is any change in the blood pressure after a treatment it
is in the direction of a fall, but it is very slight. It is impossible for the single hard-working nurse
to attend to the children and also to take these observations. If they are necessary at least one
additional nurse will have to be provided.
(9) Treatment was begun on the 16th November, 1925.
(10) The total number of patients treated between 16th November, 1925, and 31st December,
1925, was 28.
(11) A weekly record of weights is kept, and we are now making arrangements to keep a weekly
record of heights of the patients.
(12) There are no facilities for making either photographic or radiographic records of patients.
In this connection it is advisable to bear in mind that the type of case treated is, as a rule, not severe,
because the cases are supplied from the municipal clinics and are mostly cases of debility, often of a