The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-07-06
Tile Phenomena Of Sleep.

IHe EntuUlubHh VI SlteVs
DR.. Egbert Guernsey, in the June
number Of the Medical Union, thus
discourses Of sleep, from physiclan's
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 lives2" are questions
not morely Of curiosity but Of real prac.
tical use. Either the nervous mass as
q whole is quiescent, undisturbed by
currents Of nervous energy, or currents
are still kept up, but at an even, un.
altering pace. The latter conclusion
seems the most plausible, and is more
distinctly borne out by facts. The
nervous system is seldom allowed to
fall into entire somnolence, but how.
ever profound the slumber, the mind
still seems to retain waking impress.
sions, and to q certain extent under
their influence even in sleep. A person
even very much fatigued, who had pre-.
viously accustomed himself To that SELF
discipline, will fall into o deep and
sound slumber, and yet wake up
promptly at q time specified in his
waking moments, Notwithstanding he
might have slumbered for hours had IL
not been for this act OF the will. A
gentleman who, in the prosecution Of
his business, is obliged 10 travel con
stantly, taking the train at oil hours and
catching his sleep when and where he
can get 1t, informs me he never has any
trouble, however much fatigued he may
be, in waking OF any specified time,
Even without this strong exercise oi
the will power, the brain, however pro-
foundly quiescent, is keenly alive to
certain sounds, however obliyious Il
may be TO others.
The physician hears the first tap ol
his night bell, though he must sleep on
undisturbed while q band OF music was
playing in front OF his windows, or the
roar oil the thunder or the crash Of ar.
tillery was making the windows rattle
and the bed tremble beneath him. The
mother starts from her deep slnmber at
the first cry Of her child, her ear quick.
ly catching, however profound may be
her sleep, almost It's altered breathing.
II is said OF young man, o midship.
man, wishing to commend himself 10
the commander, spent eighteen hours
out OF the twenty. four in Watching and
recording the signals, only retiring 10
rest when utterly exhausted. Then his
slnmbers were SO profound that the
loudiest noise would produce no i'm.
preston, but simply whisper in his ear
the word "signal," and In On instant
he was on his feet, wide awake and
ready for duty. We are all familiar
with q kind OF waking sleep, in which
a perfect stiffness OF some monotonous
sound lulls us into a kind Of semi.un.
consciousness. Any disturbing ele.
ment rngy rouse up tile currents Of
nerve fofce into full activity, but with
out them consciousness gradually dis.
appears, according as thenerye current,
afe unvaried in their degree, until
sleep, more or less profound, is pro.
duced.
Facts such as We have stated are in
favor Of certain low degree Of nerve
action as existing under every variety
Of state, from the light sleep To the
most profound. On this hypothesis,
when all the currents OF the brain are
equally balanced, and continue at the
same pitch, when no one is commenc.
ing, increasing or abating, conscious.
ness or feeling is null and mind Is qui.
escent. A disturbance Of this state OF
things wakens mp the consciousness
for q time; tho variety or stimula in
tho waking state forbidding this per-
feet equilibrium from being attained.
Sleep is q positive necessity. II q
period OF recaperation, during which
there Is q restoration Of what has suffer.
ed collapse, waste or disturbance du.
ring the period Of walking activity. The
tired brain and the aching muscles
regain, by rest, strength and the pow
er to obey the mandates Of tho will.
The demands Of the material form for
rest are SO great as often TO defy the
action Of the mind. During the
cholera summer Of 1910, while practic-
ing in the country, SO constant and 70.
tiguing were my professional labors
that I have often riden for miles on
horseback sound asleep. During the
battle Of the Nile many Of the boys en-:
gagged in handling ammunition fell
asleep even while the roar Of the bat
tie was going on around them. II is
said in the retreat to Corunna whole
battalions OF infantry slept while in
rapid march. Even the most acute
bodily sufferings are not sufficient TO
prevent sleep.