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New Light on the Water Problem 11 THOMAS G. DONOVAN KIMTORS NOTK— Ons of Ihe greatest problems encountered by breeders and traners of thoroughbreds is that of a satisfactory water supply. Much has been written on this subject, both by horsemen and eterinaries. and DAILY HACING FOKM takes pleasure in adding to the literature on the subject the following report of the latest scientific research designed to solve this problem for breeders and trainer . Thomas . Donovan, the writer of this article. Is on the staff of a national research organization, and has been engaged during a period of years in experimentation with the use of ultra-violet radiation as a pari-f.Gng and viiaMziag agent for water supply, lie has had the active co-operation of physicists, biologists and medical men of international repute in this work, and DAILY BACIW49 FORM presents his findings in the belief that they will be of general interest to breeders and trainers throughout the country. Water passed over a fused quartz tube enclosng a mercury arc which is given off what we term "light" acquires unusual growth-producing properties. Water so treated will be free from harmful bacteria that cause disease as well as errors in function in both humans and thoroughbreds. The turning of a switch to complete the electrical circuit that causes this mercurial arc- to emit light rays in this "bottle" or tube of fused quartz sounds like a simple expedient for ridding the mind of a breeder or trainer of all fear of pathogenic bacteria, which, entering the thoroughbreds system through the digestive tract, can multiply with amazing rapidity and perhaps cause death. Yet, this simple device, the ultra-violet ray tube, is the result of years of intensive research. It represents the concrete evidence of ceaseless study and experiment on the part of many of the greatest scientists of the day. The history of the development of this tube, while abounding in romance and interest, is beyond the scope or purpose of ttiis article. It will bs sufficient to gloss over the surface in order to give a general idea of its value and its uses. MM A N I N V KS TIG ATIOX. A scientist some years ago out of curiosity began an investigation of "solar radiation." j He assumed that light from the sun was as j essential to the health of animal life as the j oxygen in the air is to the respiratory system and as food is to the body. Ceaseless experimentation confirmee* this assumption and. as other scientists joined with him in i the work, vast fields of res.-areh were ; opened up. As a result much is promised in ; making the growth of animals more perfect. nataral decay less rapid, life more- vigorous and death more remote. J Solar radiation, or light, as we term it. bean a striking resemblance to broadcasting, •adio waxes, frequency and such radio term.-,, with which we are more or less familiar. To understand how water can be made to possess life-giving qualities in the manner described, it will be necessary to refresh th? memory on some of the laws of physics. In radio broadcasting, electromagnetic waves of a certain frequency are sent out and captured by the receiving set as it is tuned in. NATIKF/S BROADCASTING STATION. If we examine a beam of light we find a striking similarity to these electromagnetic-waves of radio. The conclusion is reached! that the sun is natures "broadcasting station" sending forth waves of radiant energy which are e-apable of producing chemical reactions in certain compounds. This radiant energy comes to us from a source whose : temperature is 9.000 degrees Fahrenheit and is the result of the revolving or oscillating of the known ninety-two ele-me-ns. eighty-eight of which have been isolated. These waves range in frequency from 1.600 per second — these produce the sensation of touch and pressure— to ! .000,000.000. 000.000 per second— these latter do not produce any sensations, but are nevertheless absorbed by the in-te-repithelial nerve. We are concerned with the electromagnetic-waves of radiant energy which have a practical application to water. Upon investigation it was found that these various elctro-magnctic wave lengths could be produced in the labratory and controlled for mans use and benefit. A range- of labratory energy I produced by electrical means when e-ne-losed in fused quartz, the only medium which will transmit these rays, was found to possess great germicidal power for the destruction of bae-teria. This is the same ray that nature-sends forth from the sun to heal the wounds of the savage and the animal who instinc- Itively turn their burs toward the sun. Thus | scientific research began to rival the sun. We- are e-o:i.-tantly immersed in a sea of bacteria. Bacteria are mie-roscopic protein; irganitns floating about in the air depend- ing upon the decomposition of organic- mat-; t r which is always present in the air. No i matter how spotlessly clean n home may be, , mvriads of minute particles are visible in the air when a beam of light shines through the window. This is dus*. and organic- matter. The general impression of bacteria is peculiar. There is a widespread conception of bacteria as agents of destruction lurking in i the air seeking some innocent individual to j str ike down. Nothing could be farther from i the- truth. Nature pursues a live and let live I policy. She scatters bacteria everywhere and sends forth her radiant energy to act as a germicide, killing off the unruly bacteria which have left their domain. This is an important point. There are I bacteria which serve man and others that destroy him. BBJtMM IDAI. It AY. This germicidal ray from the sun. which can iijw be duplicated artificially by labora-: tcry methods, was found to be so effective in destroying bacteria in the air that experiments with water were undertaken. In na-| ture. this same wave length or ray was known to be effective in destroying bacteria in running water, such as brooks on stock ! farms. It was soon discovered that water j was contaminated and pcluted only whe-i humans cr animals came in contact with :t. Accordingly, experiments were conducte--l with pathogenic bacteria. The result of °x-pesure to ultra rioflet radiation was that the bacteria were made sterile although the color and tarte of the water were not altered in any patticular. But when the water was thus treated with "bottled sunshine," it took on other important qualities -residual activity or vitalizing properties. This means, in short, that water so treated possessed the power to add gr wth-produeing | properties to oats, hay and other grains. After experiments conducted on humans, rats; and chickens, it was d!se-overed that the use of this treated water would overcome rick- I ets. a system deficiency disease which causes DOW legs and other malformations in humans and animals. TREATK1 COD MVLR OIL. I In some inexplicable manner, cod liver oil when treated similarly with rays of certain wave lengths took on these same properties. I Certainly, irradiated cod liver oil is not e-al- I cium or iron and yet these are the elements whose lack is the underlying cause of rickets and allied ills. As stateel previously, the process by Which the process of bone building in the system is stimulated by irradiated water or irradiated cod liver oil is little un- J derstood. However, it now appears that the i actual presence of calcium or iron in solution i in the water Is by no means such an im- portaat factor hi making for the develop- merit of a sound constitution as had previously been believed. | Investigation proc-eeded and it was eventually learned that the bacteria in the treated water, while present, were sterile and these organisms appeared to act as a connecting link between the ultra violet ray and the animals. STERILK BACTERIA IMPORTANT. l The conclusion is reached that waters oc- ,, e-urring naturally may b.- purified and steril- j ized by sunlight so that they contribute to the development of sound, sturdy stock but it i is also evident that, to accomplish this end. I I they must contain the fertilizing element of ! sterile bacteria. It is extremely doubtful if I any valuable properties can be added to I ! water- other than by natures forces supplemented by organized research which comple-meats natures work by invention and,1 progress. The use of ultra-violet radiation in the field of therapeutics has bee-ome thoroughly j " established. The writer has observed the j use of ultra-violet radiation as an adjunct | in the training of a championship football j team during the last two seasons. Players were subjected to tests at intervals by competent scientific- observers and were found to have gained approximately twenty-five per " cent in strength, endurance and stamina. .Mental alertness was also materially in- ! creased. Although certain experiments on a small I scale have been conducted with live-stock and I | horses, the work of research in this purticu- bur has not advanced to a point where defin-j • ite findings are possible. However, it appears j j possible- and even likely that ultra-violet radi- j j ation will have- its uses in the training of thoroughbred horses for their races. All that remains is for science to learn how to H use these new materials to the best ad- j vantage. J
