Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-07-11
TO WOO SWEET SLEEP.
MANY SCHEMES EMPLOYED FOR
coNoUERlNe INSOMNIA.

Trouble-Wet the Head.
II any unusually acute inventor could
tell us of an infallible contrivance for
going to sleep just when we wish to do
so there can be no doubt whatever of the
substantial benefit which would thereby
be secured for mankind. Some fortunate
individuals, like Napoleon 1, can COM
mand sleep the moment they lay their
heads on the pillows, others find them
selves all through life sleeping the sleep
of the just every night, without difficulty
being experienced as to occasional wake
fulness, except when illness happens to
supervene.
The Duke of Wellington, who always
slept on camp bedstead, had a maxim
that when q man turned in bed it was
time to turn out; and here it may be re-
marked that great soldiers appear to bc
peculiarly constituted in their power to
summon sleep at will. Possibly this may
be due to the habits of discipline which
they have learned. They say to their
brains, go to Sleep" and at once the
word of command is obeyed. it ~
WITH HEADS TO THE NORTH.
We are all familiar with the stereo-
typed advice in cases of this kind to
"turn the pillow" to "think of some
thing else" or to imagine and count
number of mountain sheep going through
gate. Many time and oft has the too
wakeful brain worker attempted to carry
these and similar prescriptions into prac-
tice, usually with results disproportionate
to the efforts involved.
1t may be said without much exaggera-
tion that the man who can first imagine
flock of sheep, then half open gate,
and then can force his hypothetical sheep
to so through one by one without crowd
ing or lodging or turning tail, is fit for
treason, stratagems or writing the sub
limest poetry. He is no ordinary man,
and it is for. ordinary individuals that
the saving prescription is required.
Among prescriptions of more or less
sensible kind which have been atvarious
times propounded and actually put into
usc for inducing sleep may be mentioned
tho hop pillow, in which our forefathers
had considerable faith, the narcotic es-
sential oil which produces the hop scent
being supposed to be exceedingly sopo-
rifle. ........... ...
The hop pillow was used by George III
habitually when that monarch suffered
from insomnia. Then s. A. Ellis long
nd 30
the Scottish Curative Mesmeric associa-
tion that sleep was all matter of which
way ones head points. ...
In certain direction the electricity of
the earth, which is supposed to flow be-
tween the poles, passes along tho body,
and SO tends to the enjoyment of repose.
Persons wishing to avoid sleepless nights
must therefore, Mr.. Ellis advised, always
sleep south by north, with their heads
| pointing in their latter direction, and
they must most religiously avoid attempt
ing to slumber if their bed lies east and
| west.
The idea boasts some supporters nova
days, but the consequences of its univer-
sal prevalence would lead to extraordi-
nary results. For example, architects
would have greater difficulties in build
ing suitable private residences than they
encounter even now, if they were obliged
| to put their doors and fireplaces SO that
every apartment would allow of bed
being situated in exactly the same posi-
tion all over the house. ..a.
Let us imagine also country house,
where the gentlemen all retired to bed
about 10 o'clock, the ladies having de-
parted to rest long before. What rude
awakening would ensue for the latter
when they were suddenly reused by hear
ing horrible rumblings as of thunder in
the rooms on every side, and above them!
They would think it was an earthquake
withopt doubt; whereas, as mere mat
ter Of fact, it would be only that each
guest was simultaneously attempting to
shift his four poster into consonance
with the teachings of electrical science.
Il A PROFOUND SECRET.
There was, moreover, q London gentle
man who years ago really believed he
had found an absolutely certain prescrip-
tion for banishing wakefulness, and he
was willing to impart his knowledge to
others for handsome fee ON the express
condition that the information should
Ego no further"
|, When the sleep practitioner died one
of his patients informed an expectant
world that the grand secret was simply
this: A person lying in bed and attemp-
ting to sleep usually breathes through
| his nostrils, and the breath so emitted is,
in cold weather, quite visible.
All that has to be done is for the sub
iect to think of his own breathing, to
imagine that he sees every breath that
issues from his nostrils, and in moment
or two he will fall into refreshing
slumber. There may be some virtue in
: this prescription, though common sense
would be inclined to suppose that the
mere bother of imagining anything what
ever would be SO tiresome as to excite
the brain and Danish sleep much farther
off than ever.
il Some persons, however, testified to the
, complete efficacy of the breathing plan.
Alfred Since, the author of Elements of
Electro-Biology,' also attempted TO solve
the puzzle why sleep, when much needed,
is often altogether denied. He referred
the whole matter to the region Of "the
bio-dynamic circuit" but the practical
prescription was to wet the top Of the