Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-07-20
SOmnambulistS.


The sleep-walkers who 20 from room to
Dom, and are very busy in sort of world
of their own, without actually composing
new music or writing new compositions,
are numerous. The Morning Chronicle, in
1922, gave an account of a seaman who
slept for night at an inn in York. Wish
ing to be called early next morning, and
knowing himself to be heavy sleeper, he
directed the chambermaid to come into his
room and call him, if he did not hear her
knock at the door. Waking when the
sun was high in the heavens, he felt GER
tain that he had slept far beyond the
proper time; but looking for his watch to
know the hour, he found that it was not
in its place under the pillow, where he had
placed it. He jumped out of bed to dress,
but his clothes were gone; and looking
round, he found himself in strange room
He rang the bell the chambermaid ap-
peared, and then he found that he had, at
some early hour in the morning, left his
bed and wandered in somnambulistic
sleep into another ROOM for when the
maid came to call him he was not in his
proper room. Wienholt relates the case Of
student who, when in a somnambulistic
state, was wont to leave his bed, go to the
parlor or to his study, take out pen, ink
and paper, place music in its proper posi-
ton on the piano forte, and play whole
piece through with his eyes shut His
friends once turned the music upside down
while he was playing. He somehow de-
tected the change, and replaced the paper
in the proper position. On another occa
sion his ear detected note out of tune !;
he tuned the string, and went on again.
| On third occasion he wrote letter to
his brother, rational and legible to GER
point but it was singular to observe that
he continued TO write after the pen had
lost it's ink, making all the proper move
ments without being conscious that he
made no marks on the paper. A case is
on record of young lady who, when un.
der the influence of particular nervous
complaint, would walk about the house in
a state of sleep, or coma, steering her way
safely between the articles of furniture,
and even avoiding objects purposely placed
to obstruct her path. Her eyes were open,
but she evidently did not see through them
in the ordinary sense; for she entirely dis
regarded strong lights held close to her
eyes, and even finger that was actually
placed against the eyeball Physicians
are acquainted with many evidences of
have some unexplained kind of vision in
certain morbid states of the nervous sys
tenn.
| Those somnambulists who wander about
in streets and roads, or Qike Amina, in
Bellini's opera) walk along planks in
perilous situations, have the muscular
| sense, whatever it may be, effectively
awake. Doctor Carpenter notices, at
some length, 1.-THE sleep walkers who
make their way over the roofs of houses,
steadily traverse narrow planks, and even
Chamber precipices; and this they do with
far less hesitation than they would do in
the waking state" The sense of fear is
asleep, whatever else may be awake. Some
somnambuists start off while asleep to at
tend to their regular work, though under
very irregular circumstances. Not very
many years ago working stonemason in
Kent was one evening requested by his
master to go next morning to church
yard in the neighborhOod and measure the
work which had been done to wall, in
order that an account might be sent in to
the church wardens. The man went to
bed at the usual time but when he awOke
he found himself fully dressed, in the
open air, and in the dark. Presently
clock struck two and he knew that he was
in the churchyard. As he found that he
had measuring rod and book in his
hand, he resolved TO walk about till day.
break Git being summer weather., and as
certain what it was he had really done.
He then found that he had measured the
wall correctly, and had entered the par
| ticulars in his book. Sometimes, instead
of starting up from sleep to go to work,
persons will fall asleep while working or
walking. When Sir John Moore made
his famous retreat TO COrunna whole bat
talons of exhausted troops slumbered as
they marched. Muleteers have been
known to sleep while guiding their mules,
coachmen while driving on the box, post
boys while trotting on their horses, and
factory children while at work. There
was rope maker in Germany who often
| fell asleep when at work, and either con
tinued his work in proper way or use
| lessly remade cordage already finished.
Sometimes when walking long distances
he was similarly overtaken with sleep; he
went on safely, avoiding horses and car
riages, and timber lying on the road. On
one occasion he fell asleep just as he
got on horseback; yet he went on, rode
| through a shallow river, allowed his
horse to drink, drew up his legs to prevent
his feet from being wetted, passed through
a crowded market-place, and arrived safely
at the house of an acquaintance; his eyes
were closed the whole time, and he awoke
Just after reaching the house. Gassendi
describes case of man who used to rise
in the night, dress himself while asleep,
draw wine from cask, and walk back
to his room without stumbling over any
thing. In the morning like other sleep,
walkers, he knew nothing of what had
happened. If he CHANGED to wake while
in the cellar, which once or twice occurred,
he CROPPED his way back in the dark with
more difficulty than when the sleep was
upon him. Another Italian, also men.
toned by Gassendi. passed on stills over a
swollen torrent in the night while asleep,
then awoke, and was too much afraid TO
recross until daylight came.
An additional element of interest Is
presented In those cases in which speaking
Is concerned, the somnambulist either
talking or hearing what is said TO him by
others. Many writers mention the in
stance of a young naval officer who was
signal lieutenant to Lord Hood when the
British feet was watching Toulon. He
sometimes remained on deck eighteen or
1 A. Co -.