Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-08-26
SIeeD and ifs Uses.

parts vi IiIe Oou l-SoeS OH oiiil
during sleep The chief end, in.
deed, and object and intention oI
1,sleep, would seem to be this fina
assimilation Of our lood-this SOL
idlication of blood into the several
solid parts of the body.
The accompIis shmeut Of this mi
Iraculous change seems 10 have re
Hquned, the perfect concentration ol
all the energies Of the system upon
itself. 1t seems to have required,
that the attention Gf may speak
so) of the brain and nervous system
should not be distracted by any
other object. 1t seems to have re-
quired, that every tllinglboth with
in and without tie body, should be
hushed into profound repose during
the accomplishment Of this mighty
wonder, 10 order that nothing might
disturb OF interfere with the ex-
qaisite and miraculous process en-
ployed to effect it. To this end,
the portals Of sensation are closed
the eye ees not-the ear hears
not--the skin ieels not-the very
breathing scarcely audible--the
pulsations Of the heart scarcely per-
ceptlble: all the living energies are
now concentrated INTO the greatest
possible intensity, like rays of light
into focus; and directed, with al
most complete exclusivenessI toward
this simple object.
In the day, therefore, we make
blood; in the night, that blood is
converted INTO solid matter, In the
day, we garner up the building ma
fterials; ii the night, we repair the
building. Tne hour ofrising, there
fore, ought TO be at the time at
which our physical strength is the
greatest; and with perfectly healthy
persons this is the case. The Ian
gour which sickly persons feel in
/ the morning arise from the process
fot repair not having been fully ac-
cbmplished; the building had not
been repaired, and therefore. lis
strength has not been restored.
The apparent additional strength
which is felt, during the day, after
eating, is only apparent; it is mere
Ily excitement derived from the
Estinulops of food: in the first in
stance in the stomach; and after that
food has been assimllated, Of new
blood in the system.
From all this, we learn two i'm
portant truths; first that we should
take our severest exercise in the
early part of the day: secondly, we
learn how and why it is that late
suppers are improper. When you
retire to bed with a full stomach.
before the process Of solidificalion
can commence, tie food which the
stomach contains must be assimila-
ted. The two operations of solidi-
licltion and assimilation Of food In
to blood cannot 60 together; be-
cause, as have just shown you,
the process of soIidiiication re-
quires the concentration of ALL The
living energies for its accomplish
ment. The commencement Of this
process, therefore, must be post
poned until the assimilation of The
supper TO blood has been completed.
iNBut all the living energies, except
| That of qualification, are diminished
lin INTENSITY during sleep. The
secret Of gastric aud other juices,
therefore, necessary for assimilation
Of the supper to blood viii 90 on
but slowly, and the completion of
the process WILDE exceedingly pro-
tractcd, ann thus so much for the
season Ct sleep will be employed
10 the assimilAtioh of food that a
sufficient portion Of il will not be
left for the assimilation of blood.
But this IS not all The mischief; for
Ithe process of asslhilation of the
Supper into blood has not only alb
stracted from the process Of solid
ifGatibn portion OF Mat season
! (lbe season Ct Sleep which ought
to haYebeen exclusively devoted 10
| its own accomplishment, buy 1t has
also robbed it of a portion ot\those
living energies. the whole of MhIcll
Iwere due to Itself, viz, that pofNon
(which has been consumed in the
1secretion OF those juices necessary
for the conversion Of supper INTO
IbIood. When, there fore, the hour