Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-11-04
lFram Once Week.
WakerulncsS How 10 Promote Sleep.

The primary cause Of wakefulness
is an increase in the quantity Ofblood
circulating in the brain; hence, any
condition or cause of inducing this
state of the cerebral circulation may
give rise to it. AS these causes are
more or less under the control of the
Individual, it is important that they
should be generally known. /. Tx
cessfve and long-continu6d intellect
ual action, or powerful mental emo
tons. >. Those positions OftEe body
which tend to impede the flow Of
blood from the brain, and, at the
same time, do not obstruct its pas
sage to the brain. Many physicians
have noticed the connection existing
between bodily position and wake
ulncss. 1t is evident that the re-
! cumbent position is more conducive
TO n state Of congestion ofthc brain
than the erect or semi-ercct.
DR., Forbse Winslow, DR., Ham
mond and several other physicians
ave noticed an increase in the num-
Der and intensity of Authorizations Of
insane patients, or persons suffering
from deiifiuM hGmcRS, as soon as
they assume the recumbent position.
These patients have been found to
sleep quietly for some time In an
armchair, but to be annoyed by hal
lucinations as soon as they lie down.
3, Certain substances used as n med
icine or food. The chief agents Of
this class arc alcohol, tca-espccially
strong green tea-cotlo, opium, bella
donna, stramonium and Indian hemp
or hashish. Opium in small doses is
aftcn especially potent in inducing
wakefulness.
A single doae Of half q grain has
been known to keep a patient awake
for three consecutive nights. All
tho so-called narcotics, in small dos
eS, induce wRkefulness rather than
| sleep. 4. To the above, DR.. Ham,
mond adds a fourth exciting cause of
ipsomnia-namely, functional de-
rangement Of certain organs of the
body, whereby an increase in the
amount of blood in the brain is pro-
duccd. AS, however, such cases as
these are beyond the control of the
sufferer, we need not discuss them
here. In all those cases of WakGful.
ness dependent upon severe and long
continuous mental Cxcrtion-and
these are the cases to which VIC es-
,pecially wish to draw HE attention
OF our readcrs-all means of relief
will be utterly useless until the pm
tient consents to give his brain entire
relaxation fore time.
Whenever it is possible q course of
travel through a romantic country, or
a visit to the seaside, should be re-
garded as imperative. An early din
ncr, followed byR hearty suprcr of
plain and nutritious dishes, is prefera-
BILE tot heavy, late dinncr;and G glass
ortwoof good wine at both meals, ora
glass of good whisky or brandy and
water after supper may often be ia
ken with advantage. The value OF
physical cxercisc-and especially
riding-in the open air, can scarcely
be over estimated, and should be car
ried on to the point of incipient fa-
tigue.
A shower bath in tho morning, and
a warm bath before retiring to rest,
are useful auxiliaries a somewhat
high and not too soft a pillow should
be used snd if the feet are very cold
a hot-water bottle should be placed
at the bottom of the bed.
II The preceding means-all or
most Of which the patient can try for
himSel--fail, recourse should at once
be had TO professional advice. five
had been asked a couple of years ago
what was the most potent agent in
the Treatment Of w~akcfulness, we
should have answered without hest.
%tation, bromide of potassium. There
is now reason to believe from the re-
searches of Dr, C,ouston, thst a come
binatioH Of this salt with tincture of
Indian hemp, in the proportion Of
halt a drachm OF the salt to a drachm
of the tincture, is more potent in al
lay ing nervous excitement in cases of
insanity, and probably generally, than
the bromide alone, even in a far larg-
or dose. The most powerful and IT.
resistible of all sleep promoters is,
however, the new remedy known as
by dratc Of choral, and which, it il
has been prescribed success
fully, and without a single accident,
in more than 100000 cases ia this
country alone.