The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-08-10
On WakpfuTneSs.

The primary cause of wakefulness is
an increase in the quantity of blood cir
culating in the brain hence, any condi-
ton or cause capable 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 individu-
al, it is important that they should
be generally known. 1. Excessive and
long g-continued intellectual action, or
powerful mental emotions. 2. Those
positions of the body which tend to i'm
pede the flow of blood from the brain,
and, at the same time, do not obstruot
its passage to the brain. Many physi-
clans have noticed the connection exist
ing between bodily position and wake
fulness. 1t is evident that the recum-
bent position is more conducive to o
state of congestion of the brain than the
erect or semi-erect. DR.. Forbes Win
slow, DR.. Hammond, and several other
physicians have noticed an increase in
the number and intensity of hallucina-
tions of insane patients, or persons
suffering from delirium tremens, 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 hallucinations as
soon as they lie down, 3. Certain sub
stances used as medicine or food. The
chief agents of this class are alcohol, tea
especially strong green tea-cofee,
opium, belladonna, st1amonium, and In
dian hemp or hashish. Opium in small
doses is often especially potent in induo-
ing wakefulness. A single dose of half
hoc 10
tient awake for three consecutive nights.
All the so-called narcotics, in small doses,
induce wakefulness rather than sleep.
4. To the above DIR. Hammond adds d
fourth exciting cause of insomnia
namely, functional arrangements Of GER
tain organs of the body, whereby an in
crease in the amount of blood in the
brain Is produced. As however, such
cases as these are beyond the control OF
the sufferer, we need not discuss them
here. In all those cases Of wakefulness
dependent upon severe and long con-
tinuous mental exertion-and these are
the cases to which we especially wish to
draw the attention of our readers-all
means of relief will be utterly useless un-
til the patient consents to give his brain
extire relaxation for time. Whenever
1t is possible, course of travel through
a romantic country, or a visit to the sea-
side, should be regarded as imperative
An early dinner, followed by q hearty
supper of plain and nutritious dishes, il
preferable to heavy, late dinner; and
glass or two of good wine at both
meals, or glass of good whisky or bran
dy and water after supper, may often be
taken with advantage. The value Of
physical exercise-and especially riding
in the open air, can scarcely be over.
estimated, and should be carried on tc
the point Of incipient fatigue. A show.
er-bath in the morning, and a warm bath
before retiring to rest, are useful auxil.
iaries somewhat high and not too soft
pillow should be used and, if the feet
are very cold, hot-water bottle should
be placed at the bottom of the bed. L
the preceding means-all or most o.
which the patient can try for himself
fail, recourse should at once be had tt
professional advice. If we had beer
asked couple of years ago what wa'
the most potent agent in the treatment
of wakefulness, we should have answered
without hesitation, bromide ofpotassium
There is now reason to believe, from th'
researches of DR.. Clouston, that com
bination of this salt with tincture of In
dian hemp, in the proportion of half I
drachm of the salt to drachm of tn,
tincture, is more potent in allaying ner
!; vous excitement in cases of insanity
and probably generally, than the bro
mide alone, even in far larger dose
The most powerful and irresistible of al
sleep-promoters is, however, the new
remedy known as hydrate of chloral, ,anc
which, it is stated, has been prescribed
. successfully, and without single acci
dent, in more than 100000 cases in thi
country alone.-Once a Week.