Around the turn of the 20th century—before sunscreens hit the market and the damaging effects of UV radiation were widely appreciated—physicians saw the sun mostly as a source of healing. Sunlit spas nestled high in the mountains became very popular among those who could afford them, and color lamps for treating a variety of illnesses were common fixtures in many rooms. Experiments on microorganisms, animals, and even humans revealed all sorts of beneficial effects of sunlight, many of which are still recognized and appreciated, such as enhanced immune function, improved musculature, and even a banishment of the blues.
(3) In 1903, physician Niels Ryberg Finsen received the third Nobel Prize awarded in physiology or medicine for demonstrating that exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays cured patients suffering from skin infections of tuberculosis. Not only does UV directly damage bacterial DNA, but a family of bacterial molecules known as porphyrins ...
