McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-07-24
THE MIND IN SLEEP.
State of the Brain During Slumber...Sig-
nifcance of Dreams.

AS to the state of the mind during
sound sleep, we know nothing. As one
of the principal functions of the brain
is to think, it seems probable that in
profound slumber no thought arises
in other words, the Lind, like the body,
is at rest. In imperfect sleep We know
that the mind is not at rest, and that if
slumser is disturbed by dreams rest is
not 80 complete and refreshing as when
it is dreamless.
AS the will appears to be the outcome
or result of the combined action of all
the feelings, sensations and mental ac-
tions, it is not surprising that it does
not operate in dreams. The dim or
clear consciousness of the utter power
lessness of the will to control our mag
mary actions forms one of the most
prominent features in distressing
dreams.
In our waking moments it is often
difficult to subject the fancy and the
imagination to sober reasons. Dreams
are but the creations of our uncontrol-
able imaginations, hence, the mind act
ing only in part, the will cannot direct
them. In dreaming parts only of the
cerebral convolutions are acting with
sufficient energy to be represented in
consciousness. These are good, large
words, but they are as simple as any
that can be found to convey the mean
ing intended. rf
Books sufficient to fill house have
been written on the subject of dreams
without making the subject any clearer.
The Interpretation of dreams has oc-
cupied the attention of thousands of
persons, but the subject does not seem
so vastly important, to most people,
to-day as it did in the times of Joseph
and Daniel.
Sometimes dreams appear to have
real significance. Prophetic dreams
have occurred at times which fore
Swallowed coming events with consider
able cleamess. Thus, Galen relates
the case of patient who dreamed that
one of his legs had been turned into
stone. He was shortly afterwards para
lyzed in the same member. Macario
dreamed that he had a severe pain in
his throat. When he awoke he was
well, but during the day had an attack
of quinsy. Forbes Winslow relatives a
case in which, before an attack of
apoplexy, the patient thought in his
dreams that he was being scalped by
Indians. Hammond relates the case of
a lady who had an attack of epilepsy,
preceded by the following singular
dreams:
"She had gone to bed feeling some
what fatigued with the labors of the
day, which had consisted in attending
three or four morning receptions, wind
ing up with a dinner party. She had
scarcely fallen asleep when she
dreamed that an old man clothed in
black approached, holding an iron
crown of great weight in his hands, AS
he came nearer she perceived that it
was her father, who had been dead
several years, but whose features she
distinctly recolected. Holding the
crown st arms length he said: MY
daughter, during my lifetime I was
forced to wear this crown; death re-
lieved me of the burden, but it now de-
sends to you Saying which, he
placed the crown on her head and dis
gradually from her sight.
Immediately she felt a great weight
and an intense feeling of construction
in her head. To add to her distress
she imagined that the rim of the crown
was studded on the inside with sharp
points which wounded her forehead so
hat the blood streamed down her face.
She awoke with agitation, excited, but
:elt nothing. Looking at the clock on
he mantel-piece she found she had
oeen to bed exactly thirty five
She returned to bed
md again fell asleep, but was
again awakened by a similar dream.
This time the apparition reproached
Ter for being willing to wear the crown.
She had been in bed this last time over
hree hours befor awaking. Again she
ell asleep and again at broad daylight
he was awakened by like dream.
She now got up, took bath and pro-
,eeded to dress herself with her maids
assistance. Recalling the particulars
# her dream, she recollected that she
lad heard her father say one day that
n his youth while being in England,
lis native country, he had been subject
% epileptic commissions consequent on
. fall from tree, and that he had been
cured by having the operation of ire
ohining performed by distinguished
london surgeon. Though by no means
the dreams made deep
on her, and her sister enter
ng the room at that time, she proceed
I'd to detail them to her. While thus
she suddenly gave a loud
scream, became unconscious, and fell
lpon the floor in true epileptic con-
7ulsion. This paroxysm was not Sc
we're one. 1t was followed in about
week by another, and, strange to say,
t was preceded, as the other, by the
dream of her father placing an iron
crown on her head and of pain being
thereby produced. Since then several