Artificial Daylight

Abstract

MAY I supplement the interesting article on the above subject which appeared in NATURE of August 15 by a short note on some work carried out about twelve years ago by Mr. Arthur Dufton and myself? The work had for its primary object the removal of the great difficulty experienced by dyers and other workers in colour, under the extremely variable conditions of illumination which naturally prevail. These conditions are such that during the winter months a few hours only per day are available for the accurate matching of colours, and even in the most favourable circumstances the colour-quality of daylight is continually varying. A standard light, which would render dyers and others independent of atmospheric conditions, was therefore much needed, and the “Dalite” lamp, which was the ultimate outcome of our work, solved the problem in such a satisfactory way that many hundreds are in use in dye-houses, colour-printing works, schools of art, drapery establishments, &c., both in this country and abroad.