The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-03-22
On the Science Of Sleep.


Until very recently one Of the most i'm :,
,ortant questions in connection with =
he theme-namely the cause of sleep
md the reason "f its periodical return,
las nren but very imperfrc,ly ans !;
Nered. TIVE years ago Professor Pet :,
enkofrr, of Munich, gentleman wide !,
y celebrated for his re searches int" !;
he cause of cil"lera, in the course nt !;
MS experiments upon the exchange "f
Eases in the human s! stem, gave per-
ec,ly satisfactorily reply I" the inquiry. =;
1t has long been known tllat the !
oxygen taken in during the act at
plays very important part,
inaSmuch as through its "ni"n with The
Substance Of "nr bodies the yi.al forces
are generated. In every process "i
life, however insignificant, Il certain
quantity # oxygen is consumed. 1t is,
in II sense, the steam p"wer by which
the-llving machine is driven. and the
amount used eau he measured Ivy tho
quantity of curh"nicaci generated AMI
set +. ee in the act ut reslirati"n. Fer
this purpose Peiicnk"ier, assisted by
Volt, has coutlived III, apparatus, and ,
has thereh. brought tn light the unex
pected tact that during the day, even
with the slightest efforts, we give forth
lwnportionalrly much more carh"nir
acid. or, in other words, consume much |
more OK, gen il.an we receive durin.
the same period.
From this interesting fact there nat
urallv ARISES the important inquiry. by
bat means is this daily deficiency sup
piled? He,c, also, Prttenkoier's re-
searches furnish It's with II satisfactory
answer. Sleep is the prudent minister
of finance, who every night, by wise
economy, makes mp the losses of the
day, for in sleep we not only consume
! half aS much less oxygen as much as
we do when we are awake During
sleep we lay npa store of oxygen.
which enables MS without fear to look
forward to the deficiency at Tomorrow.
Is not this arrangement truly worthy
of our w;.mest admiration 2 Many IL
State might congratulate itself ii its
financial administration we're cnnlnr-
ted on similar principles. Once NOR"
we find that natnie Is the hest teacher,
giving MS u lesson in national ernnO-
my from the philosophy of sleep.
We have laid down the principle
l..
rer how trifling it may seem, we coli
sumo Il certain proportion OF oxygen.
Every motion. every sensation, even
every thought is snch II pr"cess. If we
shake hands with friend, il we lock
at him, or unfortunately think Of him,
one heart beating quicker ut the
thought, we suffer the loss of il definite
quantity of OK! gen; certain portion
of our tmdy is consumed aud changed
into carbnnic acid. All this sound,
horribly material, but it is nevertht.
less, perfectly true, and is Sustained
: by the best possible proofs-namely
/. those arising from the economy ut the
:, human $. stem. During sleep its task
is to he srariHg of oxygen, and, like ;
wise house holder, who avoids all use
less and luxurious indulgence, am
s limits himself t"-snch expenditure II:
Il is uecesSary for his subsistence, it faith
. fully performs it.
: But What are these things which vi
: may regard mt the luxurious rxprn.li
ture of our organism Above all w
$ must include in this category TIN
S whole range of the activity OF TIN
: senses, since such activity is not i'll
: dispensably necessary for thr main
!, tenance of life. In sleep we ma.
G strike off with comfort the charge
u connected with sight. The muscle
: of the eyes first refuse their service
! A peculiar feeling of pressure an
heaviness IN the upperscytlids inform
d lis that they are preparing for slees
and the impossihilit, of fixing the ey
# steadily upon any object hetrays I" |,
ii the fact that the muscles, which raHs
. the conveyance of the axis of sight
l. can no longer pelfnrm their pitt
l. With the closing nf the eyelils the rS
IN element of the retina ceases, AMI til
Ne nerves of tie eye sink into reInse.
ty The next organs which. cease the
ly activity dnring the process ot fallln
IN asleep are the ears. Possessing u
10 closing apparatus like the eyes, the
of do not so easily enter int" II state I
IA rest. Here, su to speak, sleep has
s. struggle Tor it's rights. The best e.
x ample of This we may find III our e'
,,rriellce. If we have been so nnf"it'
nate. or shall say fortunate. as t" Il,
asleep under tedious lecture mr. 81.
g. mon. Afer- ave have gradually 10
~ the threat of the discourse, and ~
a. eyes are eitJ'HHIS 'iNt "t' -" "
:. rest, the words still continue t" som
~ in our ears, but we are no longer IN
-. ~" condition to recognize and anderstat
~ them. Gradually they become mo
~ confused, and at length, end III a d'
IA and inarticnlate murmnr, which seer
,i to withdraw itself further and thrti.
.t n from us, until, at last it is entirely ln'
w In the meantime the sensitivene
NJ of the skin begins to be lesseDed.
~ vain our friendly nti.hbor weari
,,+ himself to save It's from the annnEan
~ of falling asleep by gently pushing
n aud tlea,iing upon our toes. All
~. efforts fail. Sensation it not altnge,il
' lost, is so materially lowered that
"p will respond only to strung prov"c
TX ton. The sense of smell and ta'
~! cease their activity, and $" ut leng
", we are pretty we'll relieved OF all .
,,H five senses. eas{ ltis
=" At last the muscles, controlled
~" ~" the will, sleep also. When we sleep
ra IL comfortable bed we aie hardly G..
:. scions of this, aud the best "pp"rtun
wv w. for observing it is when, wea,ied b!
uninteresting discourse, we must sic
~ sitting. Who has not been griev
to find the impairment muscles ut
'ilk neck Suddenly rrinsingifO carry +
is head upright9 Aud, as long as
is struggle between sleeping and w,ki
'ou is continued, there is exhibited to
rct r,;,,.ti.v.,uS Sn..t,tnr ftIe IA / II