Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1870-09-28


and thereby confines the lungs, When we
are awake we trace this disordered respir-
alton to the correct causc-namely, To-
cal affection of the organs of the chest,
and there it ends; but in sleep we are ir-
capable of this reasoning, and therefore,
in harmony with the law of association,
there arises from the feeling Of oppression
the idea Of weight and the image Of su-
Iperncumbent object. We also dream Of
heavily laden wagons passing over us,or of
dark, shadowy apparitions emerging from
the ceiling and gradually settling down
upon US. $500 ....r -
Not uAfrequently we find that, instead
Of this, we dream Of some great trouble
er sudden fright, for in the waking state
experiences often render respiration diff
cult. We then dream, for example, that
we are attacked by robbers and when
we endeavor to secure our safety by flight,
we find, to our conStel nation, that our
feet refuse to serve US, and we remain, as
it were, rooted to the G ound. We try to
call for help, but find that we are unable
to produce a single souDd, until at last,
after long struggling, the muscles of res
piration are released from their restraint,
and we awakc--sometimes with loud
cry. .....
La similar manner is experienced the
dream Of falling from a great hight. 1t
usually happens while We arc falling asleep
and depends upon the circumstance that
the gradual relaxing of the muscles caused
by sleep is, by some momentary excite
ment, reversed and the result is a shrink
ing back Of the body similar to that expe-
rienced in falling from any lofty position.
Somewhat different from this is the dream
of flying. .r~,
According to Scherner it depends upon
our consciousness Of the lungs, their ris-
ing and falling motion giving to us in our
dream the notion of fight.
There are great many more conditions
of the body which, if they come into our
consciousness during sleep, awake in US,
in harmony with the law Of the associa-
ton of ideas, a certain kind Of dreams.
The emotions also produce definite I'M
preston upon their character. "Great
ioy," some one has written, "orignates a
different class Of dreams than great sor-
row; and ardent love gives rise to dreams
not produced by hatred, deep repentance,
or an accusing conscience" ...
If we accustom ourselves attentively to
notice our dreal1s, we shall easiyperceivc
the confirmation Of the law laid down.
But we shall also find that it is exceed
ingly difficult to reproduce a dream cor
rectly. Il.
1t is so for two reasons. The imagery
of dreams, IN by far the greater number
of cases, is so indistinct and shadowy,
and in Its particulars so inadequate, that
by the effort to recall them, we involunta-
rly bring to our help the Imaginative
power of our waking moments, and there
by give to them definite color and outline.
The other reason is, the mate tendency
of the human mind to look at all things
in their logical connections, "a
When our dreams consist Of series of
pictures, often connected only by the very
loose bond of the association o ideas, we
bring to them by their reproduction, unin-
tenrionalIy, of course, logical connection
and correspondence with the real life which
originally they did not possess. a
During the period Of deepest sleep the
function of the brain is so weakened that
we retain. no recollection of it, and sound
sleep has, therefore, come to be called a
dreamless sleep. Sometimes we know
that we have dreamed, but are wholly un-
able to recall single trace Of that which
has engaged our sleeping thoughts.
But shortly before we awake, when the
oxygen stored up in the blood oorpuscles
begins to bring the waste and repair
iu the brain into more energetic operation,
our dreams become more lively and con-
nected, and, for this reason, are more ca
silly retained by the memory. The eases
are very few inwhich dreams are SO vivid
that we are unable to distinguish them
from real events.
Prof. Jessen, a celebrated physician to
the insane, gives striking example, in
the following words:
Zone winter morning, between the
hours IF five and six, I was awoke, as |
believed, by the head keeper, who in
formed me that the friends Of patient
had come to remove him, and at the same
time he inquired whether anything re-
qured mention. | replied that he might
permit the patient to depart, and immedl'
ately lay down again to sleep. | had nc
1 annnnr dana this ihnn IL nccurred To me-