New-York daily tribune., 1866-01-11

first fruits that Mrs. Howe presented to the
world will receive ample confirmation in these
offerings of her artistic maturity and Of more Sc
rene and tranquil lifeexperence. They evidence
of genuine progress s-progrcss IN thought IN benign
charity, lin nobleness of end avor, in mental grasp,
IN imaginative grace, in subtle beauty OF expression,
qualities of which the germs were thickly sown
among her former productions, but which hayen
rpened into harvest of afiluence and delight. The
promise of her intellect in its yernal bloom Is amply
redeemed and she may rest surc Of the boon im-
pored of the aerial spirits in her goden-Sheltered
valley" that when the fulnes Of days shall arrye
ION the, e,matrons tme.worn mantle
viii the Poets wreath be laid
ON wAKEFULNEss. WITH An lSrRopucTonI CHAr'
TER ON THE PHYSIOLOGY OF sLskr. by WILLY LIN. a.
HAMMOND, NJ. d. II mo. pp yJ PhiAdeiphia' j. d. Lp
pincou Co.
The present monograph although originally pre-
pared for medical journal, challenges the interest
of a wide circle ofreaders beyond the limits OF the
profession II sets forth different theory OF the
physiology of sleep from that entertained by most
previous writers on the subject, and susans 1t not
only by course of lucid and effective reasoning,
but by variety of ingenious experiments on living
animals. According TO the generally received doc.
trine on the subject, the immediate occasion OF
sleep is the funess and dstention OF the blood ves
sells fthe brain. DR.. Hammond, on the other hand,
maintains that sleep is directly caused BY the crcu
laton of less quantity of blood in that organ than
when we are awake. This is in perfect analogy
with the functions of the other organs of the human
body, which during condition of activity, contain
IN, .,r fiSsrt vn
rest, and is supported, it would appear rconclusivey
by the actual experiments of the author. The most
obvious objection TO his view is derived from the phe
nomena of stupor, which is produced by theconges-
ton Of the cerebral blood-vessels But DIR. Hammond
makes a broad distinction between stupor and
sleep. S,upor never occurs in state OF health;
sleep is tho universal necessity OF life. il is easy
TO awaken person from sleep; II Is diflicult,and
often impossible TO arouse him fron stupor. In
sleep the mind is active; in stupor it is apparently
dead. Pressure upon the brain, congestion of its
vessels, and the circulation Of poisoned blood
through its substance produce stupor, but are not
the cause Of sleep. striking illustration OF the
difference between stupor and tleep may bc found
in the action of opium. small dose Of this mcdi-
cine operates stimulant, increases the activity
of the circulation in the brain, and thus tho rapid
iiy and brilliancy of our thoughts. Given in a
larger Dose 1t lessons the amount Of blood in the
brain and induces sleep. a very large dose tends
TO diminish the power Of the whole nervous system,
and lessen the activity Of respiration, and hence II
allows blood which has not received sufficient
| oxygen from the atmosphere TO circulate through
! the cerebral vessels. Tho opium itself produces
neither excitement, Sleep nor stupor, by any direct
action on the brain; but all its effects are duo 10
ITS influence on the heart and blood vessels,
through the medium Of the nervous system.
Bearing in mind, then, that whatever cause is
capable of lesscnng the amount Of blood il the
brain is also capable Of inducing sleep, We are able
frequently 10 bring on this condition at will. For
instance, heat is usually an effective agent in caus
ing sleep. The mode Of action consists in impcl-
ling the blood in increased proportion TO the sur
face and to the extrentes Of tho body, ard conse.
qucnily tho amount in the brain is diminished.
Hence sleep is the result unless the irritation in-
duced by the heat is great as to excite the nerv-
ous system The direct application of heat 10 tho
head, however produces a directly contrary effect
upon the cerebral circulation, in the case Of sun
stroke which is followed by congestion Of the
brain, loss of consciousness, and stupor. IL Ike
manner slight degree of cold excitos wakciulness
at first but if the constitution strong predsposes
to sleep. This is owing to the determination OF
the blood TO the surface which moderate cold in
duces in vigorous persons, exhibited in tho ruddy
complexion and warmth of the hands and feet. But
if the cold is very intense, very different result is
the consequence, stupor, not sleep, cnsues. The
blood vessels of the surface contract ard the blood
accumulates in the internal organs, tie brain
among them.
The practical conclusions Of the volume in regard
to the dangers Of continued wakefuness, and the
means of rcmedying it, are OF great importance,
and the cases adduced from the practice of the
author in illustration of his views throw not little
light on the conditions of health, and tho reciprocal
influence Of mind and body. II is book which no
reader who is interested in the laws Of his physical
and moral wellbeing, can take in hand without
instruction and profit. The style, for the most
part is singularly chaste and to the purpose with
out flourish or pretension, is often the with
the best medical writers in this country, from DIR.
Benjamin Rush Of Philadelphia TO DR.. James
Jackson Of Boston. DR.. Hammond, however,
occasionally INDUCES in too intense colloqnial-
ism, Ike, not being able "to sleep PARTICLE, and
is guilty of curious inadvertence in referring
the wcll-known spectral illusions Of Nicoai the
famous Berlin book publisher to German traveller
| Of that name.
| TIE LATE ENGLISH POETS. Edited by RICHARD
HElHY sIoppAKD l3mO. pp. 80. Eunce luatD ton.
| The recent Towering out Of fresh growth OF
original English poetry has suggested the prcpara'
tion of this volume, which brings into one view a
choice selection FROM the productions Of the most
..L Lnrn ral- v lis.u 10. q