Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-14
SOMNAMBULTSM.
tchambsrs's Journsl.l

NlChamberss Journal
The variety OF states into which the
human mind can throw itself, or can be
thrown, is truly wonderful. In memo
nv, imagination, aud thought there are
conditions and workings which we are
unable scientifically TO explain. When,
therefore, an endeavor is made to reach
such a knowledge, facts are all-impor-
tant, AMI the conclusions drawn
from such facts must be in strict
harmony with truth. A science at
any time is very difficult thing
70 bring TO perfection but, OF
all the sciences, the one treating OF the
human mind is the most difficult In
the other sciences the subjects about
which they treat can be seen. felt, and
handled but there is no handling Of the
fleshy brain, and the convolutions can
only be studied when the person is 81
lent in death, Every part of the study,
with rare exceptions, has to be carried
on in second-rate way by means Of
memory and reflection. Strange irony
OF words for is it not reflection" and
memory" themselves we seek to know ?
and yet we can only know them by
Themselves
Many things have been written and
said regarding the waking operations Of
mans mind, but the silent workings Of
the same are and have been very often
omitted. The silent workings are such
as apply only TO the mind when asleep.
Thus, dreaming, raving, and the like,
come under this class. The phenome-
non we shall try TO explain and illus
trate in this paper Is that called som-
nambuism. What ls somnambulism ?
Il really means an acted dream. While
the mind is dreaming the body is, in
general, quiescent. All voluntary ac-
ton is suspended, except now and then
there may be movement OF the head,
legs, or arms, but this is all done uu-
consciously, so that we are almost cor
rect in saying all voluntary action is
suspended. But in somnambulism the
case is different; there is movement,
and often q movement, too, of such a
kind that the man. If awake, would
never attempt.
Indeed, the Judgment seems to be en-
tirely gone in the case of the somnambu-
list. Dangers are encountered and feats
OF strength accomplished that would ap-
pear miraculous to the person who did
them if awake. Take for instance the
case of the gentleman and his nightcap.
Every morning this gentleman's night
cap went amisSing. No clew could be
got as to It's whereabouts or how it had
been disposed OF. At length he was sus-
pected OF being Il somnambulist. he
was watched. During the middle OF the
night he rose from bed, proceeded to
the top flat OF the house, opened a win
dow in the roof climbed from there to
the rigging OF the house, along which
he proceeded with the greatest agility,
pulled of bis niehtcap and carefully
placed it in tho chimney pot This no
had been doing for nights in succession,
for in the chimney dozens OF the caps
we're found. Yet when that man thought
of his perilous walk. he shuddered at the
very idea of walking along such a mar
row foothold.
Cases. also, are on record in which the
mind while in state OF somnambulism
has showed itself more acute and active
than when awake. The Edinburgh law
yer's case may be cited. This lawer had
for DAYS tried 10 find out method he
could adopt for clearing q clients repu-
taton. The case presented peculiar
difficulties which indeed we're so difficult
that the night preceding the trial found
the lawyer still fighting for solution to
the problem. At length he gave up in
despair and went to bed. During the
nioht his wife saw him rise from the bed
and proceed to the table. He searched for
pen, ink, and paper. and when he found
these he sat down and wrote hurrledly.
At length he stopped writing, placed
the paper carefully away, and returned to
bed. Next morning he was up betimes
to aet ga solution" as he told his wife.
But she had good news for him. She
babe him search his desk. There he
found a paper written out evidently @
short time before by his own hand but
when he did it was quite mystery tc
him. lie read the paper and found thai
it gave him the very key he had been
trying to get for his case. he expressed
establishment at the affair and was sit
ting down to attempt by aid Of memory
TO know what it all meant. His wonder
can be better imagined than described
when he was informed by his wife thai
he had written it but few hours before,
while in state of somnambulism.
In somnambulism it is often asserted
that there is an entire cessation OF a0iH
power. Facts, however are forthcoming
which tend to show that this is not
always true. a German writer narratei
the following ain Halle there lived &
postnan whose duty it was to deliver
letters ut small village three or foul
miles from the town Of Halle. The roac
20 the village led across a moor. When
ever the carrier had emerged from
the town into the country he
fell asleep on his feet. While asleeE
he continued his walking until ht
arrived &C a small stream which ran
close beside the village. Here the mar
stopped almost inyountarily and awoke
This method of crossing the moor he
continued for twelve years yet there
was never an occasion when he in his
sleep mistook the road or ever stepped
into the water. which he always crossed
by means OF a small foot bridge.
There was more than habit needed tC
keep to the right path and to awake
when he arrived at the stream. But
the peculiar point is that the man was
able to get into the state while he wa'
quite conscious of what was about Il
follow.
From so many divergent cases it Is
very difficult to draw any inference or
which we can depend for strict accuracy
But be this rs it may, it cannot be
doubted at least that the sOmnambulis
can accomplish things he could never dc
il awake There is q putting on OF {
new nature. The timid become fearless
the weak become strong, and the medi
OGRE become ingenious. The on y con
clusion we can come to is that the mind
works under conditions and dis
PLAYS phenomena which as yet sci
ence has but imperfectly observed
and still less carefully concluded