From Graham Hart
I would like to correct the misconception in the otherwise interesting piece about ways of improving phototherapy for jaundiced newborn babies (This Week, 19 September, p 13).
Reference is made to treating the babies with UV light. In fact, quite the reverse is true, since steps are taken to cut out all the UV present in the lights which would otherwise damage the baby’s skin.
Although there is still some debate about this, the most effective therapeutic wavelengths are believed to be in the blue or blue-green, and lights are specifically chosen which maximise output in this part of the spectrum.
Bradford
