Infra-red Radiation and Nasal Obstruction

Abstract

For the investigation of the Hill phenomenon, viz. the antagonism of short-and long-wave infra-red radiation in their influence on nasal obstruction, the commonly used rhinomanometric technique is not well suited. In this paper a new procedure is described, in which an air current is blown through the nose. In this way the nasal passability may be estimated, independent of respiratory movements. It proved to be desirable to make a selection of suitable experimental subjects with the aid of adrenaline and histamine tests; only those persons in which the opening by adrenaline and the narrowing by histamine sprays were clearly demonstrable were chosen. Long-wave infra-red rays constantly caused nasal obstruction. The shorter waves were much weaker in their shutting effect, and also decreased the narrowing of the nose when they were given in combination with the long-wave rays of an electric fire. A nasal passage closed by long-wave infra-red radiation may be partly opened by the short-wave rays; the possibility of surface cooling being the opening factor was excluded. Artificial cooling of the skin has a very marked opening influence. It is suggested that nose-opening and nose-shutting are correlated with cooling and heating of the Malpighian layer. Long infra-red rays will be completely absorbed in the layer and cause capillary stasis with local overheating. The shorter waves for the greater part penetrate more deeply; the skin reacts by an active hyperaemia, which, by relatively cooling the overheated Malpighian layer, has the same effect as a cooling from without.