St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-08-31
Sleep.

ing on sleep says: Food for the body and
sleep for both the mind and body of man,
are necessities of life; to the former sec
ondarily luxury, and to the later directly
both a necessity and luxury. The appe-
tite which gives a relish to food and a
passion, So to speak, that gives the full
round enjoyment to sleep, are appetites
and passions to be cultivated to the fullest
possible extent. Those were hard words
to say, but nevertheless true. which suf'
ferer from insomnia once spoke in public ::
'If there is any one thing above another
that will justify suicide, it is sleepless
nights" Those who have never been
troubled with this terrible infection could
have no sympathy with one making such q
remark, but others who have thus suffered,
as many do, would readily excuse such an
apparent tippancy of speech.
An absence of food to the stomach means
starvation to the body ; absence of sleep
from the brain means starvation of both
physical force and mental faculties. The
stomach may be made to perform its natu-
raj functions upon a small moiety of food,
but the nerve and brain force Of either the
physical or mental system, cannot long
survive the absence of sleep.
1t is rare indeed that one may take up
paper, let it be daily, weekly, monthly CT
an annual even, without finding some
thing regarding the all-important subject
of sleep instructions as to when to sleep,
how to sleep, how long to sleep, etc, but
after all is said and done the ghost of
sleeplessness-and ghost of more fright
full mien than that of Banquo itself-will
| not down 1t continues to stalk abroad
untrammeled and boldly enters and darkens
dear homes, estranges friends, embitters
acquaintances, leaves its wrecks strewn
along the shore of commercial life, and at
| last brings death and all our woes
With rare exceptions the absence of
sleep comes from excessive brainwork,
from overstrained nerves or overtaxed
| mental faculties. Conscience, which
'smakes cowa1ds of US ALL" sometimes
takes hand at the game of wakefulness
| And not alone such as are ''seared as with
a red hot iron" find ''sleep fleeing from the
eyes and slumber from the eyelids."
| War, residence and famine have, from
| time imu emorial, stalked abroad over tie
earth with imposing flourish and brass
band accomplishments, leaving CHASTITY
skeletons strewn along their track, while
sleeplessness, in more quiet way, how
! ever, has kept well up to either of its
noisier compeers, in the notable procession
of events, which is constantly leading away
| to desolaton, dismay and destruction. In
structions, recipes, regulations and anathe
mas have been without avail to stay the
ravages of the sly and seductive monster
which still holds its ground and is gather
| ing rich harvests from every walk of life
We read in one paragraph of something
that will route this fevered and fearful
enemy of life comfort and happiness. We
follow the lead pointed out patiently, per
sistently and hopefully. to find at the enc
of the rife-sleeplessness. We listen to
the counsel of friends and follow the advice
given. to find it wanting, and we also fine
in addition, in the matter of wakefulness
and sleeplessness, "What is ore mans
meat is another mans poison - that wha
will put one to sleep will keep anothe.
! wide awake.
"Throw physic to the dogs" and let il
have it's perfect work !; pill and powde
boxes at the cats, with unerring aim
leave .'Welsh rabbits and cold bites un'
tasted at bedtime the sIndian weed" un
chewed and unsmoked pour all narcotic
than down the throat, call conscience t.
account, drive dull care away" forge
(*.aye, there's the rub'0 forget all petit
foibles, drone in a low tone, while .disrob
ing, tHome, Home, sweet, sweet Home,
'''There is Happy Land" or something
akin to these, drop deftly into the folds o
wooden blankets and Gle down to pleasan
Dreams This prescription to be taken a
night, and the patient shaken in the morn
ing, if found to be over-sleeping.