The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-06-26
The Phenomena OF Sleep.

DIR. Egbert Guernsey, Ia the June mum
Der ri the Medical Union, thus discourses
of sleep from physicians point of view:
- How is sleep induced, and what is the
condition OF the brain during this period
of rest which occupies nearly one. third Of
our livesy are questions not merely of
curiosity but of real practical use. Either
the nervous mass a. "A whole Is quiescent.
undisturbed by currents OF cryous ener-
gy, or currents are still kept up, but al an
even, unaltering pace. The latter conclu-
sion seems the most plausible, and Is more
distinctly borne out by facts. The merry
Gus system i seldom allowed 10 fall into
entire somnolence. but however profound
the slumber. the mind still seems 10 retain
waking impressions, and Is to "A certain ex-
tent under their influence even In sleep. A
person even very much fatigued. who has
previously accustomed himself TO that
selfdscipline. will fall into deep and
sound SUMMER. ard yet wake up promptly
at time specified in his waking moments,
Notwithstanding lac might have slumbered
for hours had il not been for this act Of the
will. 4 gentleman, who ia the prOSecu-
ton of his business j. obliged TO travel
constantly. taking the train at all hour,
and catching his sleep when and where he
can get il, informs me he never has any
trouble, however much fatigued he may
be. in waking AT any specified time. Even
without this strong exercise of the Will
power, the brain. however profoundly
quiescent, j. keenly alive tocertain sounds.
however ohliyious IL may be 10 others. The
physician hears the first tap OF his night
bell, though he might sleep on undis-
turbed while a band Of music was playing
in trout of his windows, or the roar of the
thunder or the crash of artillery WAS max
ing the windows rattle and the bed trem-
BILE beneath him. The mother starts from
her deep slumber at the first cry of her
child. her ear quickly catching. however
profound may be her sleep. almost its al
tered breathing.
at is said of young man, midship-
man, wishing To commend himself to the
command r. spent eighteen hours out of
the twonty-four in watching and recording
the signals. only retiring To rest when at
terlv exhausted. Then his slumber was
so profound that the loudest noise would
produce no impression. but simply
whisper in his ear the word : sig
nal, and in an instant he was on
his feet, wide awake, and ready for
duty. We are all familiar with kind of
waking sleep. in which a perfect stiffness
or some monotonous sound lulls Us into
kind of semi-unconsciousness. ANY dis
turbing element may rouse up the car
rents of nerve force into full activity. but
without them consciousness gradually dis
appears, according as the nerve currents
are UNMARRIED in their degree. until sleep.
more or less profound. i produced.
Facts such rs We have stated are i'm
favor of a certain low degree OF nerve ac-
ton as existing under every variety of
sleep. from the light sleep To the most pro-
fosnd. On this hypothesis, when all the
currents of the brain are equally balanced
and continue at the same pitch, when no
one j. commencing, increasing. or abating,
consciousness or feeling is null, and the
mind is quiescent. A disturbance of this
state of things wakens up the conscious
ness for time the variety or stimula in
the waking state forbidding this perfect
equilibrium from being attained. =
sleep is positive necessity. IL is a pc
Rod Of recuperation. during which there Is
a restoration of what has suffered collapse.
waste or disturbance during the period OF
waking activity. The tired brain and ach-
ing muscles regain. by rest, strength and
power To obey the mandates OF the will.
The demands of the material form for rest
are so great a. often To defy the action OF
the mind. During the cholera summer of
lSf9. while practicing in the country. so
constant and fatlguing were my profes-
sional labors that have often ridden for
miles on horseback sound asleep. Almost
every physician in active practice during
periods of epidemics. when his strength was
taxed To the utmost. has dropped into a
sleep. as have done many times. while
walking the street
During the battle of the Nile, many of
the boys engaged in handling ammuni-
ton fell asleep even while the roar of the
battle was going on around them. IL is
said i'm the retreat To Corunna whole bat
talions Of infantry slept while in rapid
march. Even the most acute bodily suf-
ferings are not always sufficient to pre-
vent sleep. The worn-out frame of the
victim of the Inquisition has yielded TO it,
influence in the pause of his fortunes upon
the rack. and for moment he has forgot
ten his suierings. The Indian burned al
the stake, in the interval between the pre-
liminary torture and the lighting of the
fire. has sweetly slumbered, and been only
aroused BY the lame which was 20 consume
him On Ring around him -