Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-03-06
SLEEP.

Sleep PAIN &c." written by Samuei 1ehly D1c1
son. Professor of Institutes and Practice IN the Med
ica College Of South Carolina
"The necessary amount of sleep must differ in
the various tribes as we'll as in different individuals
according to numerous and varied contingencies
The average proportion of time thus employed by
our race NAV be stated pretty fairly, think, at
oae-third The allotment of Sir William Jones,
slightly altered from an old English goet, does not
depart much from this Standard
Seven hours to books, to soothing sumber seven;
Ten to the world alIot and all to Heaven
The busy engagements of ambition and avarlce
NAV induce men to subtract more or less from thelf
due repose, but any considerable deductlon lnus'
be made at great risk to both mind and oody. oir
John Sinclair, who slept eight hours himself says
that in his researches into the subject OF longevity
he found long life under every circumstance, every
course of habit some old men being abstlnent,
some Incorporate, some active, and some IN
dolent but all had slept well and long. Yet ne
gives letter from correspondent, recording the
case of an old man OF ninety-one who mad Slept
through life but four hours day. Alfred the
Great slept eight hours, jeremy Taylor but three.
DIR. Gooch tells us of an individual who slept only
fifteen minutes in the day; but this is scarcely cred
IDLE. Bonaparte, during the greater part OF his
active life, was content with four five hours
sleep the same is said of Frederick the Great, and
of John Hunter know Familiarity person whose
AVERAGE has been even lower than this | heard his
wife saw that they were married four years before
she had ever seen him asleep. Seneca is quoted as
telling the incredible story of Mecmas that he had
passed three years without sleeping single hour.
Boerhaave saws of himself, that he was SIX weeks
without Sleep from intense and continued study.
Statements like these demand close examination
and clear proof.
"Of long-protracted sleep there are numerous
and wonderful tales. from the story of the Seven
Sleepers of Ephesus, and their dog, to be found IN
the early legends of the Church; in the koran's
chapter of the Cave; all the east, as Gibbon
tells u.s. and even in Scandinavia-down to the
exquisite Rip Van Wrinkle of our own Washington
Irving. In the Philosophical Transactions we read
of one Samuel Clinton, a laborng man, who fire.
ouentlv slept several weeks at a time, and once
more than three months without waking. In the
Berlin Memoirs of the Academy of Sciences, there
is curious history of lady of Nismes, who fell
asleep irresistby at sunrise, woke for brief inter
val at noon fell asleep again. and continued in that
state until seven eight in the evening, when she
awoke, and remained awake until the next sunrise.
Old-age and infancy sleep much. Old Parr slept
almost constantly; Demolvre, III advanced life,
large part of his time.
The desire of sleep is one Of the most urgent
demands of nature. Some boys slept from fatigue,
on board of Nelson's ship, at the battle of the Nile
Among the impressive incidents of Sir John Moores
disastrous retreat to Corunna, in Spain, not the
least striking is the recorded fact that many of his
soldiers steadily pursued their march while fast
asleep. Burdach, however, athrms that this Is not
uncommon among soldiers. Franklin slept nearly
an hour swimming on his back. An acquaintance
of mine, travelling with party in North Carolina,
being greatly fatigued, was observed to be sound
: asleep in his saddle. His horse, being a better
walker went far in advance of the rest. On cross
ing a HILL they found him oh the ground snoring
quietly His horse had fallen, as was evident from
bis broken knees, and had thrown his rider on his
head on hard surface, without waking him.
animals of the lower orders obey peculiar laws
in regard to sleep. Fish are said to sleep soundly
and we are told, by Aristotle, that the tench may
be taken in this state, if approached cautiously.
Many birds and beasts of prey take their repose in
the daytime. When kept in captivity, this habit
undergoes a change, which makes Us doubt whe-
Their it not the result of necessity which de-
manded that they should take advantage of the
darkness, silence and the unguarded state of their
victims. In the menagerie at Paris, even the by
ena sleeps at night, and is awake by day. They
all. however, seek, as favoring the purpose, GER
tain degree of secluson and shade, with the excep-
ton of the lion, who, Burdach informs us, sleeps at
monday, in the open plan-and the eagle and
condor, which poise themselves on the most eevat-
ed pinnacle of rock in the clear blue atmosphere
and dazzling sunlight Birds, however, are fur
nished with nictitating membrane generally to
shelter the eye from light Fish prefer to retire to
sleep under the shadow of a rock or woody bank.
Of domestic animals, the horse seems to require
the least sleep, and that he usually takes in the
erect posture. knew who was apt to fall
when he slept standing. have seen it happen to
him many times.
Birds that roost in sitting posture are fur
nished with well-adapted mechanism, which keeps
them firmly supported without voluntary or con
scous action The tendon of the claws is so ar
ranged to be frightened by their weight when
the thighs are bent, thus contracting closely, and
grasping the bough perch. In certain other
animals which sleep erect, the calculations of the
foot and knee are described by Dumerl as resem-
bling the spring of pocketknife, which opens the
instrument and serves to keep the blade in line
with the handle.
at has been pretty said that without Hope
and Sleep, man would be inconceivably wretched.
The circumstances favoring sleep, besides quiet
conscience, mind unexcited, and body free from
pain, are, recumbent posture, silence, and dark
ness. When Ptolemy demanded of a soothsayer
What would make one sleep we'll in the nigh g
The best way, he replied, was to have divine and
celestial medtatons, and to use honest affections
in the daytime Muller says he could go to sleep
at will on resuming recumbent position. Bona
parte, during his grand career, required no condi-
ton but darkness; yet at St. Helena, he suffered
from sleeplessness among his other tortures Habit
, exercises an almost omnipotent influence in this
matter. A distinguished matchmaker, having re-