Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-02-11
Nightmare.

lCu: corrt soondont. Claude Lorraine, hav-
log rtq Nsted "somo kind phytician" to explain
the rstur, OF the above nanol Affection, tako
pleasure il oamplyiog Hith bis request, mere
cSpt calS, IS ON frtqu,nt .u[Fcrcr from such
nee uroal visilali5ns myself, but contrary 10 Lis
assumed KEN. s1lf,r mos. severely wien
lying upon ny right sido. and least Of oil, When
upon ny back, aod with my heal upon high
pillow Nightmare in all its vsrioi.s is a
disorder Of the iutc i'm of ,lcep. (if by such 8
namo VIC may designate suspension Of other
lunclione,) and it becomes % interesting mat
ter Ct further inquiry, inasmuch as it ia q de-
g.co presents an anelysis of tho state Of sleep
Itself. lho poTtr of VoilioD. both ia miad and
body. is that which is the most completely sus
pended in natural sleep. Sometimes tho other
| mental faculties are CqIally 81, but moro gen
simple Bepaation. although blunted, is ue7er
entirely SUI p,pded. Respiration is an les inc
two motion excited by The sensation of black
blood 10 tho luugs, and tho movements and
changes Of POSTURE unoootcious'y #, ed dur
ing sleep. seem TO be Ct tho ssmo kind, and
scarcely comirg uodcr tho head ct voluntary
motions. When Sleep is c1niug Oh, there is
first, On lUdlsposlt0n to perform voluntary &C 5,
! and 1t DO awakening cause be applied. this soon
amounts to Inability. But the senses mHy still
DO awake, and although voli,ioo cannot shane
or dirt ct them, trains OF ideas result from their
impressions. When sleep becomes moro Der
ftct, however, the senses become moro obtusc,
and, uucsI excited by s0mn considerable i'm
preston, Incapable of il tllobcing tho other
mental powers that may remain still in &c iyity.
Such 90 impression, When produced, ii CT tho
painful kind, AID insufficient directly 10 awake
the person. will not fail to kite some or other
of tho varieties of nightmare. 10 the case 10
which the term Incubus OF lishtnsro is c,m-
monty applied. that, Dam.y. OF q stIso of
weight and oppression en- tho chest there IL,
| NO believe 40 imperfect perlermar C, Of luntioo
of respiration, caused either by q constrained
posture or dIs;ondtd stomsch; or 10 stms cases
it may DO b7 eight attack of asthma, excited
by acd nrd olhcr ciuiilirH in Tho Blim:I!ary
al. Now such ;mpcGiacns duias cur
| wakicg hours sro easily obviatcJ BY tito sap.
Elementary aid which voluntary tfJrIs can givo
to tho respiratory rrCccs:; We change our !os-
ture. draw our breath moro deeply, relieve tho
stomach ty cruclation, &c . AID oil this with
scarcely console u4nt 81 Ct The rilnent rr oil the
&c, Whci relieves it. But durirg sletp hcao
movements are ot nj ur clmmant; this resi-
| rRoty act is moro limited, eud although tuili
ocnt fir tho natural state # the lutc ion, ha
comes inadequate when an embarrassment rem.
dcr5 necessary an Increased txnrtion or new
movement. In tvebt OF thin. therefore, Llsck
blood gradually &c unulats 10 tho lung, with
ita o0nst 1ent focts I congestion in tho rip hit
cavities Of tho heart, nnd fnepg of Expression
and RulEoca.on, which, after lofmrniog tho
miGd for time in HnWG dem3niacsl form at
lougth r, a,hcs su,h M some, a5 to break the
spell Of sleep. and awLk, tho tulf. rcr to the
possession OF those voluntary powers, by tho
exercise Of which the bodily function is restored
to lis natural state. NJ sooner ia ho fully
awake than tho bodily unessincss i, removed,
and he is sensible only Of the mental disuuioiudo
which his iriQhtiul dream has oIoasiopo6; and
this i0ioed with the excitement Of Tho restored
circulation. may prevent him from readily c)m.
posing himself again to rest"
Ii upon sWaklng. however. las frequently
happeEs) TIT re is % almost Irresistible dspo.
sitOn to fall back Immediately into sleep, il is
on evidence that tho BLOOD has not vet been
thoroughly artcrial ID or ohauped from black
to rcd blood, and unless the sufferer wishes TO
invite 81 md land probably w6rse) attack of
this most distressing malady, ho should rise
from his bed and eXalc!so vigorously until bis
somno!erty has been entirely overcome, when
he may egain seek Lis couch With full IS utance
Of enjoying undislurbod tlumbers for tho 70.
maindcr Of tho night. 1t oily remains for mo
to say that attention 10 general hygieuic rules
With regard to eating aud diioking, ADD tho
avoidance of late study and undu, excitement
osevery description. will prove the best propby-
laa!ic against malady which can cc,asion es
much suf ring in fVo minutes as almost apy
other Of tho ailments that fish is heir to"
en- crowd into as many days. p,
WooDvILLE. RApP. Co.. Va Feb. S.