Transcriber's Notes:
- Inconsistent hyphenation of words preserved.
- Several misprints corrected. Hover over underlined word in the text to see the corrections made. A full list of corrections can be found at the end of the text.
- On page 19, Aristophanes's period is noted as (488-385 B. C.); Aristophanes was born circa 448 B. C.
The Century Books of Useful Science
Artificial Light
ITS INFLUENCE UPON CIVILIZATION
BY
M. LUCKIESH
DIRECTOR OF APPLIED SCIENCE. NELA RESEARCH LABORATORY,NATIONAL LAMP WORKS OF GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Author of "Color and Its Applications," "Light and Shadeand Their Applications," "The Lighting Art,""The Language of Color," etc.
ILLUSTRATED WITHPHOTOGRAPHS
NEW YORK
THE CENTURY CO.
1920
Copyright, 1920, by
The Century Co.
DEDICATED
TO THOSE WHO HAVE ENCOURAGED
ORGANIZED SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH FOR
THE ADVANCEMENT OF CIVILIZATION
PREFACE
In the following pages I have endeavored to discuss artificial light forthe general reader, in a manner as devoid as possible of intricatedetails. The early chapters deal particularly with primitive artificiallight and their contents are generally historical. The science oflight-production may be considered to have been born in the latter partof the eighteenth century and beginning with that period a few chapterstreat of the development of artificial light up to the present time.Until the middle of the nineteenth century mere light was available,but as the century progressed, the light-sources through the applicationof science became more powerful and efficient. Gradually mere lightgrew to more light and in the dawn of the twentieth century adequatelight became available. In a single century, after the development ofartificial light began in earnest, the efficiency of light-productionincreased fifty-fold and the cost diminished correspondingly. The nextgroup of chapters deals with various economic influences of artificiallight and with some of the byways in which artificial light is servingmankind. On passing through the spectacular aspects of lighting wefinally emerge into the esthetics of light and lighting.
The aim has been to show that artificial light has become intricatelyinterwoven with human activities and that it has been a powerfulinfluence upon the progress of civilization. The subject is tooextensive to be treated in detail in a single volume, but an effort hasbeen made to present a discussion fairly complete in scope. It is hopedthat the reader will gain a greater appreciation of artificial light asan economic factor, as an artistic medium, and as a mighty influenceupon the safety, efficiency, health, happiness, and general progress ofmankind.