The Grenada gazette., 1889-03-14

There was London gentleman who
years ago really believed he had found
an absolutely certain prescription for
banishing wakefulness, and he was
willing to impart his knowledge to
others FOR handsome fec on the ex-
press condition that the information
''go no further"
When the sleep practitioner died one
OF his patients informed an expectant
world that the grand secret was SIM
ply this: A person lying in bed, and
attempting to sleep, usually breathes
through his nostrils, and the breath SO
emitted is, in cold weather. quite visi-
BILE. All that has to be done is for the
subject 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 re.
freshing slumber. There may be some
virtue in this prescription, though
common sense would be inclined to
suppose that the mere bother OF mag
lining any thing whatever would be SO
tiresome as to excite the brain and
Danish sleep much farther off than
ever.
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 Of
why sleep, when much needed,
is often altogether denied. He
referred the whole matter to
the region of 1.-The bio-dynamic
circuit" but the practical prescription
was to wet the top of the head with
cold water, and he asserts that he has
thus often obtained for sufferer rest
when every other means have failed.
All these spirited endeavors are
worthy OF much praise; but perhaps
the best prescription for avoiding sleep
less nights, or parts of nights. is not to
take heavy suppers, to go in for exer-
else and not sit up late exciting the
brain.
There is delightful ease about the
idea of being able to turn ON the
sleep fairy b., just shutting up one cup
board OF the brain and opening the
other. 1t does away with all necessity
for those refreshing night-caps, either
of whisky toddy or brandy and water,
which some unthinking persons have
been in the habit of using, with, we
believe, the happiest results. The con-
tirmed toddy drinker, especially If he
happen to be Il Scotchman, would laugh
to scorn the idea OF inducing sleep by
an expedient OF tryisg to recollect
dream.
Possibly it would be better for him
and for all like him il he were led to
believe in the sinister lobe" theory,
and there may be good time coming
for all of us, when habits of temper
ance will be directly occasioned by the
disuse of might caps" and the SUBJ
stitution for them Of thinking-caps in
stead.
Our friend the patron Of the sinister
lobe is evidently q rather insomnolent
subject. He admits that it has been
his habit for many years to try to lull
himself off to sleep by other devices,
such as counting numbers or the repe-
tition of easy-Aowing verses. He has
now, however, hit upon the more ex-
celent plan which he patriotically con-
tides to his wakeful countrymen and
and in which he was to
a certain extent forestalled by Sir David
Brewster, who had noticed that differ
ent parts of the body go to sleep at
different times, and thence argued the
possibility, by analogy. of different
parts Of the brain going off" in
similar succession.
There is not much reason to doubt
that If we can once get the proper lobe
Of the cerebrum into the condition
which we desire we can Immediately
sleep; but the method of
of former dreams. and going
over them in all their details, is obvi-
ously insufficient to meet the require
nents Of the case.-London Tele-
graph.