The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-03-31


mistake Law, and which had run
through the whole. He paid very dear
~. however. for gaining his wager, as
for a considerable time he had swim
ming In his head, pains in his eyes,
and Severe headaches upon attempting
any mathematical LABOR; "A gentleman
aver he is at q loss for ideas in his liter
srv compositions, he lies down on q
lo1npe. and always with good results.
Rnt the blood in the brain may be in
creased by its own action. Intense and
long continued thought, anxiety, grief,
and other emotions, have this effect. 1t
NAV be laid down as law admitting of
NO exception, that, when an organ is
kent in q condition of great activity,
there is an augmented flow Of blood to
its substance; and the organs whatever
il is. increases somewhat in size when
an increase is possible. Take, for ex-
ample, the arm of a blacksmith, or the
leg of a ballet-dancer. Here the excess
siVe use to which the muscles are put
causes an increased flow of blood to the
nart, and the consequent formation of
new matter in greater proportion than
il is consumed.
There can be no muscular action, ex.
cept as the consequence of the disinte-
grafton of CERTAIN amount or muscu.
lar tissue. No gland can act without
its substance becoming decomposed to
some extent, and no thought can be
conceived by the brain without the de.
struction of a definite amount of the
cerebral matter.
During wakefulness, the brain is con-
stantly in action. There is not a mo-
escent. II our thoughts are active, or If
strong emotions act upon us, the blood
flows in increased amount to the head,
in order that new matter may be de-
pOsited to take the place OF that which
has been used. For all new substance,
whether of the heart or the lungs, or the
brain, or the muscles, or the nerves,
comes from the blood.
In the ordinary course of our lives
the supply is equal to the demand. But
is is possible SO to use our brains that
the substance is destroyed in greater
proportion than the blood can supply.
Men engaged in the feverish and anX-
ious occupations of life rarely stop to
think that they are using their brain
capital, instead of merely consuming
the interest, as they ought to do. The
end Tor all such is not far distant. 1t Is
as certain as the result OF spending
pecunIary capital instead OF living
upon the income. The one Will lnevl-
tably lead to insanity or lunatlc asy-
lum; the other to pauperism and the
alms.house.
Now, what has this to do with the
question, Why do we sleep? Simply
this sleep is he rest of the body, and
especially of the brain. During this
condition the brain is at its minimum
of activity. Certain faculties, such as
the imagination, appear to be in tul4
operation, but it is in appearance only,
for those faculties which regulate 1t
when we are awake have their actions
suspended. All other organs have
their periods of rest during wakeful-
10
TALLY the condition in which the noblest
organ of the body reposes from its la
bors. 1t is then that the blood deposits
new cerebral matter faster than 1t IS
used, and thus prepares the brain for
its now duties when we awake.
If we take the hours which should be
devoted to sleep and use them in mem
tai activity, we are robbing our brains
of the opportunity for regeneration
which the condition OF sleep affords.
We are surely consuming our capital,
brain-and intellectual bankruptcy is
the certain result. Ii we persevere, the
time is reached when we cannot sleep.
For the cerebral vessels become so per-
manently distended that sleep Is an i'm
possibility.
It used to be thought that during
steep there was an increase inthe guam
tity OF blood circulating through the
brain, but very exact observations have
S1t1Sleu us InhL lu6 EeNeES6 IS lue CdSSS
Wakefulness, therefore, keeps the cere-
bral vessels distended, II state of con-
gestion is thus induced, the blood is
not rich enough In the substances the
brain requires to supply its wants, and
this organ accordingly consumes its
tissue for the restoration of mind, with
out the possibility OF sufficient deposits
being made to compensate for the loss.
Is it matter for surprise that, under
such circumstances, the brain should
act badly, and that the manifestations
of mental action should exhibit irregu-
larity and disorder? Is it wonder
that man who has passed sleepless
night should be unable to transact his
business properly the next day, or
even to add up u column OF figures cor.
rectlyP Is it strange that his head
should feel dull and heavy, that he
cannot collect his thoughts, or even
concentrate his attention upon matters
recurring deliberations? Let this so on
night after night, and organic diseases
of the brain, such as insanity, inllam-
nation, or softening, are certain to re-
suit. We sleep, therefore. 10 give the
brain rest. One.third of our lives
should be devoted to this purpose. If
this is done, it matters not how con-
stantly we employ that organ which, in
its noblest proportions and In its fullest
vigor, makes man what he is.