The Wilmingtonian., 1884-06-07

uufleu, the nurses are bringing creature
comforts and clean linen; the non combat
ants are cooking or lighting fires; restoring
order among the stampeded teams and
replacing the emptisd caissons with fresh
ammunition.
That such work must be done during
sleep is evident from the merest considera-
ton of the troubles that arise from pro-
tracted brain to without the proper inter-
val of repuse. A Chinese criminal, con-
demned to death for heinous crime, was
ordered to be executed by entiie deprivation
of sleep. Two men were stationed by his
side and relieved atSfrequent intervals, with
Instructions to pissh him, push him and
rouse him up whenever he attempted to
sleep. The man died, raving mad, on the
eighteenth day. Loss of sleep in delirum
tremens speedily determines fatal issue.
DR.. Il. II. Clarke thus beautifully describes
the activity of the brain in Sleep
'If we could look in upon the brain dur
ing sleep and watch the behavior of its
minute constituents, millions upon millions
of cells and cell contents, there would be
presented TO our view not scene of repose
and inactivity, but one of incessant work.
There would be NO congestion or pressure of
blood through the capillar.es, whereby the
manifestation of vol!tiou, intellection, idea
ton and similar nerve action is rendered
possible. The sort Of tissue change which
the day had witnessed, would be replaced by
the labor of repair, and the genesis of cells,
granules, protoplasmic stuff, and all the raw
material of cerebration (brain-action)
Everywhere there would be displayed
activity in preparation for the next days
labor The workman and the tonls would
be microscopic, almost infinitesimal, it is
true, but still they would be there and at
work, and they would be all automatic In
health all this work is performed in silence.
We are utterly unconscious of it. Few
however enjoy such perfect health and sleep
so normal and profound as to get no hint Of
the cerebral action which covers sleep; and
when any such hints are received they are
apt to become the origin of dreams. What
profusion of stuff for dreams is heel"
We see in fact that dreams are the natural
| 'tcuie VI eho VfSi uusJlliS-up
of the daguerrotypes in the mind, while .his
busy activity is going on in the cells of
which the brain Substance is composed.
| Suppose photographer of sixty years
experience who had stored up all his
daguerrotypes and negatives were to take a
lamp and undertake to set everything 10
order. Would he not tread on a history of
every stepP Here the faded lineaments of
some belle who fascinated him as he peered
at her Thu ough the camera in his youthful
days. Then some mfthful figure-a clown
or variety actor; then some little darling
dead child, photographed as it lay in its
coffin before being huiIied away into the
grave. AssiIredly lie would encounter such
| experiences. Why then should we wonder
at dreams, visions and the like when we
know that the old daugerrotypes and the
new negatives are alike being turned up to
the light while the mental storehouse is
being clean swept and garnished? Is it not
rather a wonder that we do not dream more?
If We could rightly investigate our dreams
we should in nearly every instance find a
cause for them; a sort of hash of things past
and present; the inevitable result of the
rummage in the brain While pame Reason
is asleep.