4 Ways of Looking at a Lamp

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As good medicine
The children of Lovozero, Russia, a small reindeer-herding town north of the Arctic Circle, are lucky to see three hours of sunlight a day during the midwinter months. The shortage of natural light means not only limited playtime. Kids also miss out on bone-strengthening vitamin D, produced when the body is exposed to the sun's rays. UV-light treatments similar to the one being given to these goggle-protected Lovozero tots have been used for decades in areas that experience lengthy spells with little or no daylight. In addition to boosting calcium absorption, such sunlamps have been used to treat maladies such as jaundice, psoriasis, and rickets.