Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-10-08
Aew to Promote alien.

FROM O4ct = ecka
The primary cause Of Eskelninesa
is an increase IN the quantity Of blood
circulating In the brain; henee. any
condition or cause capsbie OF Inducing
this state Of the cerebral circulation
may give rise 10 it. As these causes
are more Or less under sae control Of
the individual, Il is important that
they should be generally known, L.
Excessive and long continued intel
lectuaI action, or powerful mental
emotions. =. Those positions Of the
body which tend 10 impede the low
Of blood rom the brain, and, at the
same time, do not Ohstruct its passage
to the brain. Many physicians have
noticed the connection existing be-
tween bodily position and wskeiul-
ness. 1t is evident that the reeumbent
position IS more conducive to a state
OF congestion of the brain than the
erect or semiereet- DR.. Forbes Wing
low, DR.. Hammond and several other
physicians have noticed an increase in
the number and intensity CT halluci-
nations Of insane patients, or persons
suffering from delirium trenlens, as
soon as they assume the reeumhent
position These patients have been
found to sleep quietly FOR some time
In an arm chair, Dat to be annoyed by
Authorizations as as they lie
down. 3 Certain substances used as
medicine or food. The chief agents OF
this class are alcohol, taa-especialiy
strong green tea-cohee, opium, belis-
dOnna, 5tramOnt1m and Indian hemp
OF hashish. Opium in small doses is
often especially potent ia inducing
wakefnlness. A single dose Of half
a grain has bssn known % keep p
patient awake for three consecutive
nights. All the so-ealled narcotics, in
small doses, induce gakefulness rather
than sleep. To the above, DR.. Ham
mond adds a fourth exciting cause
Of insOmnia-namsiy, functional de-
rangement Of certain organs Of the
body, whereby an increase in the
amount OF blood in the brsin Is DrO-
dueed. AS, however. such eases "a
these are beyond the control OF the
sufferer, we need not discuss them here.
In al these cases Of w~akefulness, de-
pendent upon severe and long con-
tinucaS mental exertion-aad these
are the eases to which we especially
wish to draw the attention Of our
readerS-al means OF relief viii be Ut
terly useless until the patient consents
to give his brain entire relaxation for
a time. Whenever it is possible, q
course Of travel through a romantic
country, or q visit to the seaside,
should be regarded as imperative.
An early dinner, followed By a hearty
supper Of plain and nutritious dishes,
is preferable to heavy, late dinner,
and q glass or two of good wine at
both meals, or a glass Of good whisky
or brandy and water after supper
may often be taken with advantage.
The value Of physical exeTcise-and
especially fiding-in the open air,
can scarcely be Overestimated, and
should be carried on to the point OF
ineipient fatigue. A shower bath in
the morning, and q Warm bath before
retiring to rest. are useful auxiliariess
a somewhat high and not too soft 3
pillow should be used; and, If the
feet are very cold, a h0t-waier bottle
should be placed at the bottom OF the
bed. 1.-THE preceding means-au c.
most OF which the patient can try
for himseif-fail, recourse should at
once be rad to professional advice. II
we had been asked q couple Of wears
ago what was the most potent agent
in the treatment of wakefulness. We
1hOuld have answered without hesfta-
ton, bromide Of potassium. There Ia
now reason to believe, from the re-
searches Of DE-. CiousfOD, that a COM
bina1On OF this salt with tfncture Of
Indian hemp, IN the proportion Of
half q draehm OF the salt to q draehm
OF the lneture, is more potentin aUav-
ing nervous excitement In cases Of
sanity, and probably generally. than
the bromide alone, even in A far
larger dose. The most powerful and
irresistible OF all sleep promoters al
however, the new remedy known e
hydrate Of choral, and which. x IL
stated mas been prescribed sueeesa-
fully, and without a single accident.
In more than 100000 eases in this
country alone.