Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-06-18
Tho Phenomena ar SIce,,.


DR.. Egbort Guernsey, in tho June
number Of the Medical Union, thus
discourses of sleep, from physicians
point of Wow
How is sleep induced, md what is
period of rest which occupies nearly
one-third of our lives? are questions
not merely of curiosity but of real prac-
tioal use. Either the nervous mass ~
whole is quiescont, undisturbod by
currents of nervous energy, or currents
are still kept up, but Mt an even, unal-
tering pace. Tho latter conclusion
seems tho most plausible, aud is more
distinctly borne out by acts. The
nervous system is seldom allowed to
fall into entire somnolence, but how
ever profound the slumber, the mind
still seems to retain waking impressions,
and is to certain extent under their
influence even in sleep. A person even
very much fatigued, who has previously
accustomed himself to that self-lisci-
pline, will fall into deep and sound
slumber, and yet wake up promptly ut
time specified in his waking moments,
notwithstanding he might have slum-
bered for hours had it not been for this
act of the will. A gentleman who in
the prosecution of his business is
obliged to travel constantly, taking the
train ut all hours, and catching his
sleep when and where he can get it, in
forms mo he never has any trouble,
however much fatigued he may be, in
waking ct any specified time. Even
without this strong exercise of the will
power, the brain, however profoundly
quiescent, is keenly alive to certain
sounds, however oblivious it may be to
others. The physician hears the first
tap of his night bell, though he might
sleep on undisturbed while a band of
music was playing in front of his win
! dOws, or the roar of the thunder or tho
crash of artillery was making the win
dows rattle and the bed tremble be-
meath him. The mother starts from
her deep slumber ut the first cry IF her
child, her car quickly catching, how
ever profound may be her sleep, almost
its altered breathing. It is said of Il
young man, II mitlsllipman, Wishing to
commend himself to the commander,
spent eighteen hours out of the twenty
four in watching and recording the sig
mails, only retiring to rest when utterly
exhausted, Then his slumber was SO
! profound that the loudest noise would
produce no impression, but simply
whisper i'll his ear the word 'signal,
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 a
0f
disturbing element may rouse up the
currents of nerve force into full activ.
ity, but without them consciousness
gradually disappears, according as the
nerve currents are UNMARRIED in their de.
gree, until sleep, moro or less profound.
is produced.
| 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 thishypothesis when all
the currents of the brain are equally
balanced and continue at tho Same
pitch, when no one is commencing, in
creasing or abating, consciousness o.
feeling is dull and the mind is quies
cent. A disturbance of this state o.
things wakens up the consciousness fo7
time; the variety or stimula in thu
waking state forbidding this perfec
equilibrium from being attained.
! Sleep is positive necessity. It is ,
period of recuperation, during which
there is o restoration of what has sui
fered collapse, waste or disturbance
during the period of waking activity
The tired brain and the aching muscles
regain, by rest, strength and power Il
obey the mandates Of the will. TIL,
demands of the material form for res
are so great as often to defy tho action
OF the mind. During the cholera sum
mer of 1849, while practicing in tn
country, SO constant and fatiguing wer
my professional labors that have oftel
ridden for miles on horseback soun'
asleep. Almost every physician in &C
!, tive practice during periods of epidem
! les, when his strength was taxed to tn
!: utmost, has dropped into a sleep, as
have done many times, while walking
r the street. During the battle of tn
! Nile many of the boys engaged il
= handling ammunition fell asleep eve
while the roar of the battle was goin
5 on around them. It is said in the re
: treat to Corrunna whole battalions @
infantry slept while in rapid march
: Even the most acute bodily suffering
~ are not always sufficient to proven
sleep. The WORKOUT frame of the viz
! tim of the Inquisition has yielded t
its influence in the pause of his tol
lures upon the rack, and for momer
> he has forgotten his sufferings. Th
- Indian burned ut the stake, in the il
terval between the preliminary tortu1
= and the lighting of the fire, has sweet
|" slumbered, and been only aroused b
! the flame which was to consume hi1
= curling around him."