The Red Cloud chief., 1879-06-19

Tie brain became pale and
esassd 70 proerude through The opening
In The skull, or 70 pres agAiass The
elaa, - The case might b. IL shus Be-
cane evident thaa the upcoasciousoess
Of slesp resulted from . large diminu-
ton In the acsive circulation In The
bnin. And Il vAs further noticed. thai
when he animal or person experiment
Cd on ~ observed 70 give esidence OF
dreaming, BY movements Of the limbs
barking In the case Of dogs. or speak
iog in The Ease OF human beings-ths
pressure al blood in The brain obviously
increased. Thus proving tina, the par
tiAl activity Of the scntienf faculties
during sleep. which ~ call dreaming.
Il really . partial resumption Of the
normal waking circulation OF blood
through the brain. In other words,
when . person dreams, his sleep 10 not
sound. He Ii partially awake. The
curious feature in dreaming 10 that esr-
tain faculties being dormant, fail 10 con-
troll the Imagination the consequence
being incoherent f~ancies, and shreds Of
remembrance tagged together In per-
picking confusion. The impuiing Of
Sny thing serious 20 dreams il therefore
mere idle folly. Whatever over-stimu.
lates the circulation Of the brain causes
imperfect sleep, if not absolute sleep
l~essness.
Although sleep is \ natural and invol.
untary state, it NAY be greatly promot-
ed by maintaing q good state Of cealth;
by daily open air exercise, or by riding
or sailing with the face exposed To the
air; by having the stomach free from .
heavy meal, or any i~ndigestible sub
stance; and by the mind being undis-
turbed with cares. Over fatigue, indul-
gence in food or drink beyond what na-
ture requires, want Of proper exercise,
and mental disquietude, are all causes
Of sleeplessness. Breathing in q con-
fined or overheated apartment Is also q
not unusual cause of broken slumber.
The temperature most suitable for sleep
is about so degrees, which gives the SEN
sation of neither heat nor cold, and nd
mits Of . moderate amount Of bed
clothes being used.
The best posture for sleep is TO lie on
the right or left side, with the arms
crossed over the breast in front, and the
head well up on the pillow. The mouth
should be shut, SO that the breathing
may be carried on exclusively through
the nose. Some persons acquire . hab-
it Of sleeping with the mouth open,
which causes the grotesque and Often
sive action Of snoring. Going to sleep
while lying on the back should be avoid
ed, as, besides inducing the sleeper .
snore, it is apt TO cause disturbing
dreams.
When lying down to sleep. the mind
should be as composed as possible.
Thinking ought to be guarded against,
as productive of wakefulness. Those
who, from irritability, are
habitually bad sleepers, resort TO vari.
Gus expedients to secure the blessing at
repose. One of the most successful
plans consists in mentally repeating 9
familiar poem OF psalm, SO as TO alter
the train of thought, and lull the con-
seriousness.
It is . we'll ascertsined fact that sleep
begins ct the extremities; the feet sleep
first, and then the rest of the person.
On this account, in order to fall asleep,
we require not only to compose the
thinking faculties, but to keep the feet
still. The feet must also have an agree
able warmth. With a consciousness of
this fact, the North American Indians
and others who are in the habit of
bivOuacking in the open air when on
distant expeditions, sleep with their feet
towards q fire which they kindle for the
purpose.
Certain drugs act as an opiate and
produce sleep, when ordinary means
fail; but these should never be taken
unless by medical sanction. The prac-
tice of using opiates is most detrimental
to health; and II persevered in, is ruineus
TO the constitution. Coffee and other
beverages act variously on different in
dividuals. They exhilarate some, and
others they send to sleep. Tea usually
acts a An ~exhilarant, by stimulating tho
nervous system, and should not be tax
en- less than four hours before going to
bed.
While it il ascertained that sleep is
connected with the state of the brain,
there remains the extraordinary fact
that some persons possess the power Of
summoning sleep BY an effort Of the
will. Napoleon Bonaparte is known to
have possessed this faculty. During
his campaigns, when no regular repOse
could be taken, he embraced opportu-
mites Of sleeping for . quarter Of an
hour, or some other short period, and
waking up exactly when the assigned
period had expired. This subsection Of
sleep to the action of the will
is in practice comparatively rare. More
commonly, habit and predisposing con-
ditions, such a. darkness and quiet, in
duce sleep. There are occasions, how
ever, when, owing to great fatigue, for
example, an uncomfortable heaviness
and drowsiness will cause . man to drop
to sleep in . moment, ' in the most
uncomfortable positions and amid light
and noise. But an attentive considers
ton of this invincible drowsiness, due
long watching or we = fatigue,
throws great light on the primary cause
of healthy sleep and Of the periods Of
its return. We begin to perceive that
the diminished pressure of blood in the
brain 10 after all only . leading and i'm
poFtant symptom Of . general physical
state; and in bringing about the condi-
ton Of altered and lessened activity of
all the organs which We observe during
The period Of sleep, some one organ
must assume the initiative. And re6ec-
ton assures rs that this physical first
cause Is the nerve-force of the body
conferred in the brain, controls
the whole system. Sleep h the means
BY which this force il recruited, no more
Of the force being expended than what
d necessary to maintain the involuntary
muscular movements Of the lungs, the
heart, and the stomach.
On waking, the eyes n opened, one
rises, one walks and works,one eats and
and especially-in some cases