The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1860-06-16
DREAMS.

gans involving these relations are concerned,
opposite conditions, the one of wakefulness,
and the other of sleep. Within certain limits
this alienation of action and repose presents
itself as a general law of animal organization,
more or less varied, according to the sim
pleness or eomplexity of the functions in
volved; and hence il is found that the guam
tity and regularity of sleep bear close re-
lation to the degree of development of an
imal life. TO those vertebrate in which the
muscular and nervous tissues exist in their
most complete conditions. sleep is much
more important than to those types of or
ganie existence which, while endowed with
some of the functions of animal organiza-
ton, are for the most part devoted to the
simple process of assimilation. Indeed, a
| point is at last reached where no evidence
of the phenomenon of sleep is presented.
In man, in whom the voluntary functions
exist in their most complete development,
and in whom their operations are complica-
| ted by the addition of those of the intel
lect, the periods of waking and repose are
most fully marked, and their presence most
important to tie welfare of the Individual.
In sleep, the organs of sense, the power of
voluntary motion, and the active powers of
the mind suspend in a great degree their
operation, in order to collect by rest new
strength. The approach of sleep is an
nounced by diminished activity of mind
and loss of the power of attention. The
senses become blunted to external impress
ions, and we feel an unconquerable desire
for stiffness and repose. Our ideas grow
confused, our sensations obscure, our sight
fails, hearing grows dull and uncertain. the
eyelids close, the joints relax, and the body
instinctively assumes an easy position
The vital activity, however, is in full vigor;
the functions of the heart and the lungs.
breathing and the circulation of the blood,
continue, but are more calm and equable
than during the waking season; the nutri-
ton of the system, the secretion and alb
sorption of the juices, are also carried on
undisturbedly and perfectly. Hence sleep
is not really state of total inactivity, and
only bears a very partial resemblance to
death. A person awaking from profound
sleep finds himself refreshed, and his bodi-
| ly and intellectual functions restored to
their usual vigor. If the sleep, however,
be partial and disturbed, these results do
not follow, but the waking state is accom-
panied by a sense of lassitude and fatigue.
1t is in this latter condition that dreams
take place, and hence Dugald Stewart has
properly defined dreaming to be that condi
| ton of sleep in which we have nearly Or
quite lost oil Violation over the bodily or
gans, but in which those mental powers
necessary for volition retain partial de-
gree of activity M. Perquin observed in
| The hospital of Montpelier in 1891 case
which throws considerable light upon the
actual condition of the brain in profound
sleep. and in that in which dreams occur.
A female aged 26 had lost portion of her
scalp, skull bone, and dura mater, under an
attack of malignant disease, by means of
which portion of the brain was exposed in
such manner as admitted of inspection.
When this patient was in dreamless state,
or in profound sleep, her brain was motion
less, and lay within the Uranium. When
the sleep was imperfect, and the mind was
a0itated by dreams, her brain moved and
protruded from the Uranium, forming a
cerebral hernia. This protrusion was still
greater whenever the dreams, as reported by
herself, were most active, and when she was
perfectly awake, especially if engaged in
active or sprightly conversation. it attained
it's fullest development; nor dill this pro-
trusion occur in jerks, alternating with re-
cessions, as if caused by arterial blood, but
remained permanent while the conversation
continued It is clearly shown by this
case, so far as the appearance of the brain
is concerned, that during profound sleep
the active state of the mental faculty cea5-
es, but that, in that condition in which
dreams occur, some of the mental powers
are sufficiently active to excite motion in
the cerebral organs. less in degree than in
a state of full wakefulness, but more than a
condition of profound sleep. Though the
power of volition does not seem to be alto
gether absent in sleep, the viii appears to
| lose its influence over those faculties OF the
mind and members of the body which du-
ring our waking hours are subject TO its au-
thority. Hence it may be inferred that all
our mental operations which are independ
ent of the will continue during sleep. The
senses may be considered as the media by
means of which the spirit within is brought
in contact with the external world, and
comes to have a knowledge of actual exis-
tence Although the predisposing causes
of dreams may be diverse, yet they are gen
orally referable to some peculiar condition
of the body, and are often called into action
through the agency of the external senses.
DR.. Gregory relates that, having occasion
to apply bottle of hot water TO his feet
upon retiring for the night, he dreamed
that he was making journey to Mount
Etna, and found the heat insufferable. DR.
Reid, having had blister applied to his
/ head, dreamed that he was scalped by q
party of Indians NJ. Giron de Buzerein-
CUES made a series of experiments to test
how far he could determine his dreams al
will by operating upon the mind through
the medium of the senses. With this view
he left his knees uncovered on falling asleep
and dreamed that he was travelling at night
in diligence with a vivid impression o.
cold knees produced by the rigor of the
weather. Waller relates the case of a gen
tleman who was ever after victim to ter
ror on account of dream, which he could
never look upon except as real occurrence
He was lying in bed. and as he imagined
quite awake, when he felt the distinct i'm
ipression of hand placed upon his shout
der. which produced such state of alarm
that he burst not move in bed. The shout.
der which had experienced the impression
D had been uncovered, and the cold TO which