The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-09-25
VAGAIiIES OF SLEEPLESS-
NESS.
Queer Ways in Which Victims of In
somnia Soothe Themselves
to Siumbar.

Queer Ways in Which Victims of In
somnia Soothe Themselves
to Siumbar.
"Insomnia." remarked an elderly
physician of the old school To report
~ "f the New York Sun. lis a perpet-
udl pu/z T. tn me-"
''iiow SOP"
"Wnll. sleep being not only natural
conuiLiOn but II nCcrSsiiv. we find ma
tsIrc furnishing all the conditions TO in
duce steep, not only in health, but in
disease, in nineIy-nine cases in hum
dred-Uut the hundredth case is the
mystery. Why, SIR" and the doctor
warmed into professional enthusiasm,
''whcn we see how quickly and easily
men adapt themselves 10 the most un-
natural and artificial conditions of life
working by night and sleeping Inv
day. sleeping with the clink of the
forge. the jar and clash of machinery,
or the shrill whistle Of escaping steam
in their ears, and wakeniug with a
start at any unfamiliar sound, or at a
| cessation of the accustomed racket--it
seems rs though man could never suf-
fer from slrep.cssness.
but will not excessive fatigue eX-
plain sleep under such trying circum-
stanceS?"
Not satisfactorily. 4 am too tired
| to Sleep is common complaint;
while in one case. that of a nirht
watchman in n bank, Il cripple who
has not probably done a day's work in
4 dozen years, the man sleeps with his
ear next TO the incessant whirr and
buzz of a burglar alarm, and has twice
been aroused only to fad tramp or
drunken man asleep Oh the steps out
side the bank. Once, after | had been
. treating him with medicine that
slightly affected his hearing, this
! walchmaH complained bitterly that he
was getting 100 deaf to sleep, and de-
ciared that he was kept awake by not
hearing the burglar alarm distinctly.
''When you realize that the strongest
man may, in spite of his will be reduc-
ell TO the blind helplessness of slumber
by the drOninG of 4 friendly bore, an
accumulation of foul air, or the tenl-
pcratuce of the weather. it becomes still
more mysterious TO me how slight
thing will murder sleep and work
meaSureless mischief TO both mini AMI
BODY"
Perhaps, suggested the *sneri-
cnced reporter, '':ln unquiet conscience,
domestic anXicties. or an unpaid
deht-'
"Fudge!" retOrted the doctor. Il
have seen a man sleep soundly and
TRANQUILITY up TO within IN hour of his
own hanging; have seen my brother
fall asleep while waiting for his. moth
cr-in-iaw--a prcu.iarly wide awake
anxiety she is, too--and | should not
u.
times kept awake; but you can lay
down no RUE in these cases, except
that each man is u rule to himself.
The various "ccentricities and whim-
steal fancics of men and women who
! suff.r from wakefnlneSS defv all rule,
and would be amusing if they were not
50 dangerous 10 the patient and dis
| couraging To the doctor There are
| many persons vino cannot sleep on the
left siur, others who must have their
| heads p int To some pet quarter of the
compass. patients who demand Il noise
like the ckins of Il clock, and others
who require perfect silence To enable
them 10 fall asleep. What, Tor instance,
do YOU think of n woman who cannot
| or will not sleep in room carpeted
with anything except straw mating,
|
room more than ten consecutive nights?
| am assured and believe that she has
faithfully tried. again and again, to ex-
cccd this ten night limit; that the elev-
enth night is invariably sleepless, the
twelfth excited. hysterical, perhaps,
the next worse. and so on, until, on
two uccas:ons when have been called,
| can assure YOU that her condition was
TOO critical to admit OF n suspicion of
malinmerinT."
Are women more su! jet TO it than
mcu?"
Not in my experience, nor is it con-
! fined 10 the physically or mentally
weak among men. A well known ath-
lete has assured me that, after training
for some important event, ne used of
ten to be thrown out of condition by
sIeep,essness for several nights preced-
ing the trial of strength. until he found
that he could always sleep if the closet
door in his cham Der was set wide open.
Even now, in travelling. if he occupies
a room without u closet, he is certain
to lose his nights sleep.
"A grave and self-contained Judge"
continued the physician, every night
ties a black thread tightly around the
big toe of his left toot--the right won't
do ut all-aud with judicial gravity
claims that this is q certain cure for
what he used TO call his might tits;'
while classmate of mine at college,
now an eminent and eloquent clergy
man, once contided to me, with much
self-reproach and perturbation of mind,
| that whenever he had an attack of
sleerlessness, he became at once pos
| sessed by an irresistible temptation to
say damn, and that oabaiistie word
once uttered, his unrest vanished, and
sleep came at once. Think said he
to me solemnly. but with Il twinkle in
his eye, of minister OF the gospel be-
coming irrcSpoEsi5ly pro!ane TO want
of something to put him To sleep, wien
| he has u desk tull Of Old sermons i'll
the house.
''lrrcsponsibly profane," We re-
peatrd.
Quite so. Mau,lslev declares in
sc:uu!a to be a frequent cause of in
sanity, and am inclined TO regard it
as one of the mOsL OBSCURE of mcutal
diseases"
''AuI The ourc?'
'Well. there is grim humor about
| giving Il res; esS man The active prin-
c'ple of hops 10 put him 10 s.eep, but,
as tor permanent cure. the most Sal.S
factory cures are those qtl'"r !anrirS "t
the patients thrmS".ve-. TH'y may he
absurd and irrati ,uIi. bu: they are
lasting and taste better tlan most med
icines"
There are various Preparations for
whitening the hands which can be
used without harm. Glycrrinc, vase
line, cold cream or mutton tallow rub
bed in will ito much TO soften them.
the chroHic!ers of Queen Anne's time
had Il receipt which is at least harm