The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-08-06
A Nan Goes Without Sleep for
That Length of Time.
HIS SENSATIONS ARE STRANGE.
A New York Specialist Thinks He Can Cure
Him-Mrs. aaybrick Makes Full Con-
fession -SullIVan's Trip.

welcome Il MP dH hAhNlS oASSp Va
even death, as the nearest approach Il
sleep, would be welcomed by John G. Col
Inns, who is in semi-unconsciOus state il
which he does not lose knowledge of hi
surroundings Having gotno relief from
physicians on the Pacific coast or in Kan
sas City, the tortured man came to New
York and sought advice of the World. HI
was born in Armagh, Ireland, 1888; came tt
America in 1913: followed the trade of tin
smith in many states, going to California
early in the sixties; worked in San Fran
cisco one year.
''AH this time l enjoyed excellent health
was strong and hearty, and quite capable OF
performing hard labor. One day, while
working on some large iron pipe, l over
exerted myself and caught severe cold
which finally settled on my chest and gave
ne great trouble. Having heard good
deal of the advantageous openings in Kan
sas, l decided to settle in that state and
took with me a waYward brother, who was
oecasiOning uneasiness to my parents We
settled in Franklin county andI purchased
\ farm Two weeks after / experienced
my first trouble. While attempting tC
catch a calf, something gave way in my
back, which at intervals caused me con
siderable pain. In 1871 l had a severe at
tack of chills and fever, which produced q
racking pain IN my breast. / was unable
to sleep for several days, when suddenly
the pain left and ] gradually grew better.
After a time periods of insomnia began
At first they lasted for two or three days
then extended over five and six days. The
physicians to whom l applied gave me
bromide of potash and sometimes choral
They did me good for a short time and
continued choral until it lost all power
over my system. Every physician who
--reated me finally abandoned the case as
hopeless. and for the past five years | have
taken no medicine at all. Contrary to the
usual course / did not become addicted Il
the use of Choral for the drug was al
ways nGuseous to me and l abandoned il
with pleasure.
tsFor seventeen years I can truthfully
say that | did not have single nights re-
ireshing sleep. During period of three
weeks have net closed my eyes and these
attack are succeeded by semi-unconscious
State during four or five nights. While in
silat condition l am always aware of my
Surroundings and the slightest noise in the
house or outside would arouse me to in
1ense consciousness and wakefulness, sc
that / got no rest, except that given my
body by reclining in bed or on a sofa
though would toss about in agony be
cause sleep did not come.
Despite myself l became moody, reserved
and was impeiled to seclude myself from
my associates at times. | believed that al
who came in contact with me fairly hated
the unfortunate man who could not sleep
OF course this was hallucination and an in
Iication of ncipient insanity. Often l won
dered that did not go crazy. My health
however, has continued good all these years
though at times my memory is defective
especially regarding recent events. | read
great deal and am fond of taking long
walks, in the hope of firing my system and
80 induce sleep.
while at the sanitarium in Buffalo, where
recently passed two months, gained fifty
pounds in weight. Regarding my memory
It seems as ii 1 had a door to open as on
leaving a room and have to wait and make
an effort before l can think of what | was
going to say or speak about. AT present
my head troubles me good deal, At times
there is a sensation like what would be
produced by a jet of cold water striking on
the skull. Then my head becomes confused
and 1 can remember nothing until the sen
Sation dies away.
b " My eyesight has been very poor during
the past ten years and deafness has been
era lually growing upon me. My appetite
IS good; l can eat anything and relish food.
At times there is slight palpitation of the
heart, when / find difficulty in breathing.
Out LIlut L uTduh nquOE III hopes that II
would relieve me, and it did at first, but
ike chloral and bromide it ceased to have
any effect, except TO cause flush and sud
den heat in my body, therefore abandoned
its use. Extreme heat or cold affects me
TO distressing degree So does noise of
any kind.
''In all seriousness, the feeling has had
possession of me for several years that
death would be positive and welcome re-
lief. l have not had any suicidal impulse,
out frequently the thought has come into
my mind while travelling now good it would
be If there was an accident to the train
and were killed. Yet am not anxious to
die, nor do l fear death"
Mr.. Collins has not at present the ap-
pearance Of an invalid. His frame is large
and well made, with solid flesh, and he has
a ford complexion and does not betray the
Lack of sleep so long endured, though the
eyelids are constantly dropping, as when a
person feels drowsy. He is religious in
feeling, and says that the only thing which
will produce temporary relief is repeating
the Lords prayer. At first he tried count
ing as an inducement to sleep, but it proved
q total failure, as did every effort except
prayer, though its influence is of brief
duration, for two and half hours. He
has been unable to work at anything; his
farm and stock gave him support for sew
y
and cattle and the treachery of friends de-
spoiled him of all his property except some
in Kansas City.
Every physician who so far has taken up
MS case has rendered him worse and he
began to think there was no hope In this
mood Collins entered the World Office and
explained his errand. A World reporter
was directed to take him to one of the most
prominent physicians in the city The
name of the eminent specialist is withheld
at his earnest request. For over an hour
the physician questioned the patient and
listened TO the story of his life. The ques-
tons were very shrewd ones, at the same
time very searching, but were promptly
and candidly answered. The physician
remarked that much of his insomnia had
been caused by too much mental examina-
ton of his case, and advised that he must
endeavOr to stop thinking of it and trust
implicitly to the physician who will here
after do all the thinking.
lyon brood too much" remarked the
specialist, land it has affected your brain
TO some extent. Your blood is thin and
you need iron. Chloral and bromides have
done you harm and they should never have
been administered. If you will follow my
directions and advice, feel satisfied that /
can cure you. Here are two prescriptions
Monday. Exert your will power and you
will be cured"
There was a perceptible change in the
patient as he and the reporter left the ply
sician's house and proceeded TO the drug
gist's. Mr.. Collins eyes were visibly
brighter and he walked with irmer steps
as though hope had entered into his soul
The prescriptions given are entirely differ
emit to those he had so long been accustomed