Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-12-04
THE SCIENCE sLEkP
The senses That FIRST Lose Consciousn n ess In
siumber--some Interesting Facts

SlumbcT-Some Interesting fACts.
from tho British Medical Journal.
Each successive graduation In sleep Ia
marked by the inclusion OF a nervous system,
which is for the time being shut oil, so to
speak, from participating In the general lite
functions Of the individual until, when the
maximum intensity is attained, nothing Is
left but the purely animai-one might almost
say the vegetabIe-lifaA Sleep OF this degree
OF intensity, although perfectly normal
process, is not, in health, of long duration
After the lapse Of variable space OF time the
systems one by one resume their functions
until finally the sum of perceptions brings
about tie condition of Weakening.
The brain shares in the need, which IL
everywhere apparent Of periods OF rest The
products OF cerebral activity accumulate
more rapidly than they are eliminated, and a
period therefore arrives when the tissues are
no longer able to do their work. The result
N An inVincible feeling Of indlsposition TO ex-
ertlon, physical or mental. The temporary
and involuntary cessation OF activity Is at
once followed by diminution of the blood
supply the an Dpmia 40 induced being there
fore, consequence, and not a cause, of the
state of repose.
The various parts OF the nervous system
are not all involved sim u ltaneously or to the
same extent. The centres governing voluu
tary movement are the d rst to be affected, as
seen in the nodding OF the head and the clos.
ure OF the eyelids, and the body, If not pre-
vented tends to assume the position OF repCse
dsrterfnined by the laws of gravity. The
special senses soon follow, but here again
they are not abrogated en- mssse. Sight il
the first to go, the stimulus no longer reach.
ing that portion OF the cerebrum " here IL can
give rise to a definite sensation even where
the closure OF the lids has not shut of ex.
ternsl stimuli altogether. Hearing and smell
are msrkably persistent, and except In the
deepest sleep may be said TO be only dulled
ana not eNtinguished. Every one Is familiar
with the ease with which sleep IL put to AN
end by unaccustomed noise, even OF slight
intensity, or, better still by the cessation of
any monotonous sound, as for instance the
awakening OF travellers by rail or steamboat
on any stoppage of the train or machinery.
Instances are on record, too, where the in
h8bitants of "A house have been reused simply
by the smell OF tobacco INDUCED in by mex
perienced or incautious burglars. The per.
sistent sensibilities OF these senses may, to
some extent, be accounted for by the tact that
they are not cut oil from com IN icatiOn with
the outside world as are for example the
eyes. To allow sleep, or at any rate quiet
Sleep certain harmony must exist in the
condition OF all the organs, which must, so to
speak, be tuned to the sleep tune. If one
organ be In a state of activity or on the other
hand, It's condition be abnormal in some
other way, the sensorium refuses to abdicate
Its control This Is familiar To us in the case
OF cerebral activity or cold feet at bedtime,
both being iniuIical 10 sleep Inasmuch,
therefore, ss insomnia may result from either
set OF causes, we can either employ drugs such
as opium which act directly on the nerve CEN
tres and 80 bring about sleep; or we may re.
sort to medicines like hypnotic which is said
to favor sleep rather than induce 1t by allay-
ing the irritable or hypeTesthetic condition of
certain organs or parts.