Abstract: A cool white light source for use by surgeons delivers a balanced white light having a color temperature over 500.degree. K. essentially without any halos, rings or darkened regions. The light source includes an electrical circuit for detecting the delivery of radiation toxic to human tissue. If the light source detects the delivery of such toxic radiation, the light generating source is disabled.

Abstract: A cool white light source includes a reflectorized lamp which outputs light having a correlated color temperature of about 5830.degree. K., a first ultraviolet (UV) filter and a second infrared (IR) filter. The lamp reflector also acts as an initial IR filter and initially filters out about 80 percent or more of the infrared radiation spectrum of the lamp generated light before the lamp generated light is passed through the first UV filter and the second IR filter. The second IR filter has an effective filtration of about 90 percent at least above about 760 nm, suggestedly above about 720 nm and most desirably above about 700 nm. The UV filter has an effective UV reflectance of over 99 percent at least below about 375 nm and suggestedly below about 400 nm and desirably below about 420 nm. Since filtration occurs at the margins of the visible light spectrum, a high correlated color temperature is maintained, such that a balanced white light having a color temperature over 5000.degree. K. is delivered.