Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1871-10-12
On WQkefulnesg.

TIE primary cause OF Wake1ulneSs le
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 individual, It is
important that they should be generally
known. /. Excessive and long continued
intellectual action, or powerful mental
emotions Q. Those positions of The body
which tend to impede the flow of blood
from the brain, and, at the same time, DO
not obstruct lis passage tothe brain. Many
physicians have noticed the connection ex-
listing between bodily position and wake
fulness. 1t is evident that the recumbent
position is more conducive to state OF
semi-erect. Dr. Forbes Winslow, DR..
Hammond, and several other physicians
have noticed an increase in the number
and intensity of hallucins,ions of insane
patients, or persons suffering from deliri-
um tremens, as soon as they assume the
recount bent position. These patients have
been found to sleep quietly for some time
in an arm chair, but to be annoyed by hal.
lucinations as soon as they lie down. 3.
Certain substances used as medicine or
food. The chief agents of this class are
alcohol, tea Especially strong green tea),
coffee, opium, belladonua, stramonium,
and Indian hemp or hashish. Opium, in
small doses, is often especially potent IN
inducing wakefulness. A single dose of
half grain has been known to keep pa
tient awake for three const cutive nights.
All the sO.called narcotics, in small doses,
induce wakefulness rather than sleep. 4.
To the above, Dr. Hammond adds fourth
exciting cause of insomnia-namely, tune.
tional derangements of certain organs of
the body, whereby an increase in the
amount of blood in the brain is produced.
AS, however, such cases as these are be-
yond the control of the sufferer, we need
not discuss them here. In all those cases
of wakefulness dependent upon severe and
long continuous mental exertlOn-and
these are the cases to which we especially
wish to draw the attentions of our readers
all means of relief will be utterly use
less until the patient consents to give
his brain entire relaxation for time.
Whenever il is possible, course of travel
through romantic country, or visit to
the seaside, should be regarded as impera-
tive. An early dinner, followed by q
hearty supper Of plain and nutritious
dishes, is preferable to a heavy, late din
ner. The value of physical exercise-and
especially ridiug-in the open air, can
scarcely be estimated, and should be
carried on to the point of incipient fatigue.
A shower bath in the morning, and warm
bath before retiring to rest, are useful
auxiliaries; somewhat high and not 100
soft pillow should be used; and, if the
feet are very cold, q hotwater bottle should
BIZ placed at the foot of the bed. If the
preceding means-all or most of which
the patient can try for himself-fail, re-
course should at once be had to profess
sional advice. If we had been asked q
couple Of years ago what was the most
potent agent in the treatment Of wakeful-
ness, we should have answered without
hesitation, bromide of potassium. There
is now reason to believe, from the re-
searches of DR.. Clnuston, that combina.
ton of this salt with tincture of Indian
hemp, in the proportion of half drachm
of the salt to drachm of the ,incture, is
more potent in allaying nervous excite
ment in cases of insanity, and probably
generally, than the bromide alone, even in
a far larger dose. The most powerful and
irresistible of all sleep promoters is, how
ever, the new remedy known as hydrate
of chloral, and which, it is stated, has
been prescribed successfully, and without
a single accident, in more than 100000
cases in this Country alone.-Once a Week.