Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-08
SLEEP.wALKING.
An Englishman's Discussion Of an Al.
ways Interesting Subject.

nm En8uSnman'0 discussion OF an Al.
ways Interesting Subject.
The extsnt 10 which the cerebral organs are
awake during sleep, says q writer in Al TIE Year
Rossd, has been the subject Of much discus
sion In perfect sleep the theory is that all
the organs are in . state Of quiesence; but how
Is II in the case OF dream, and still more In the
case of somnambulism, which includes not only
walking but talking, thinking, and doing while
In q state Of sleep?
DR.. Macnish's theory Of somnambuiism IL
that it is dreaming Of 20 forcibls . nature - TO
stimulate into action the muscular system and
ono or more Of the organs Of the senses. Thus,
to dream wildly, and with excited energy Of
walking, arouses the muscles Of looomotion, 50
that the person naturally gets up and walks
To dream that We hear or see may produce 30
vivid cerebral impression - to stimulate the
eyes and ears. or the orgaas Of the brain with
which they are connected, until We do see OBJ
tects and hear sounds just ~ il We were awake.
II the muscles only are excited then we simply
walk. II the organs Of sight and hearing are
also excited. then We walk, and see. and hear,
taste and touch may further be stimulated into
activity during sleep; and . condition Of mind
10 the result which 10 80 like perfect wakeful-
ness az TO be In reality
SECOND CONSCIOUSNESS on A DOUBLE LIFE.
Sleep-walking II often hereditary, but 10
more common among women and children than
among men. And sleep-walkers do not always
see, although they usually have their eyes open.
Most Of rs have probably met with cases of
this simple kind, in which only the muscles Of
locomotion are in play while all the senses are
dormant. and very large number Of persons
have experienced the thing themselves.
Verv different in degree, however, il the
somnambulism In such cases as that of the En-
gltsh clergyman who used to rise in his sleep,
| light a cQDdlA Writo kx.ifb
interiineations, and then go to bed again,
awaking in the morning without any recol-
lection Of his midnight performance. Or like
that OF the miller noticed by DR.. Gall,
going through his usual work at the mill With
, out any remembrance of il in the morning. Or
like the farmer mentioned by DR.. Pritchard,
who rose, dressed himself, saddled his
s horse, and rode 70 the market in .
who on one occasion, after retiring early
| from the family circle, arose and returned to
the room, joined in the conversation, sang
song and went to bed again, not only without
any after-recollection, but also without any of
the company having suspected that he was
asleep ell the time. Or like the boy who
dreamed that he got out of bed, scaled an
enormous precipice, captured an eagles nest
and placed it under the bed all Of which he
done, and been seen to do-the precipice be-
ing one he would not have dared to climb in
his waking moments.
Sleep-walking may be caused BY several
things; such as heavy meal, bad digestion,
nervous, overwrought temperament or gen.
eral irritability Of the system. But there are
many cases in which 1t Is impossible to ascribe
cause; and there is also somnambulism which
| is produced by artificial means, which We may
HITLER MEsMERIsM on MAoNHrIsM.
The German scientific theory is that from
the standpoint Of every psychical being, nature
is divided into two halves-the one acting upon
consciousness, the other not; that sleep is &C
companied by an inner waking; that it is not
mere negation Of waking, but contains also
positive Sides" Thus it is argued, the pro-
cesses which come to the inner consciousness
in sleep take place also in waking, but only re-
main unconscious. Sleep does not produce
new influences on the organism and new reac-
tons, but simply raises those which were SUBJ
ordinate during waking. 1t introduces new in
fuences and modes of reaction to consciousness
and the result is a dream
DR.. Du Prel who has devoted much attention
to this subject, and who deals with it at some
length in his Die Ph,losophie der Mystik, says
that somnambulism induces susceptibility to
finer influences than are received by the senses
OF the waking person, and that, as the senses in
waking evoke faculties the more remarkable
the more finely they are organized, so must
the sense educed in somnambulism, receiving
faculties superior to those Of the waking man.
30 much evidence has been gathered Of the
remarkable character Of somnambulic faculties
that many physicians have enthusiastically de-
clared somnambulism to be higher condition
than that OF waking life. Others, however, are
just as confident in regarding IL falling
back into the instinct life Of animals
DR.. Du Prel maintains that the truth lies
midway between these extremes. 6omnambu-
lism is the influence Of nature and man in pres
n Qaaiv oGto IA and thapof 4 u M
q state Of equal dignity with waking. But, on
the other hand, faculties are often revealed in
somnambulism, which, even il only transitory,
are so superior to those Of ordinary man a. to
DIsPRovE THE MERE INSTINCT THEORY.
Somnambulism has been called exalted sleep,
and the philosophy of sleep has been by no
means exhausted, even by DR.. Macnish We all
know by experience the recuperative quality
Of sleep, and We have, most of Ms, observed
how prolonged sleep is often the turning
point in case OF critical illness. But what can
We make Of the apparently well-authenticated
instances Of phenomenal sleeps which are re-
corded in many scientific works? Schubert, for
instance, tells OF boy who slept for sixteen
weeks, and, when he awoke, both the disease
from which he suffered and the desire for more
sleep had departed He also quotes q case of
| sleep for four years, interrupted with but short
waking intervals. Another German doctor re-
cords the case Of an old priest, at Stettin, who,
Ouo uhy, Ieit ue6Q OF 3 little rest
after the first mass sud dropped asleep in his
cell for thirteen weeks. In Mayo's Truth in
Popular Superstitions" there 10 mention of
girl known to the author. who, at twelve years
old. fell into q sleep which lasted thirteen
years, during which she grew from child to Q
mature woman.
We offer no opinion upon these phenomena:
We only quote them on the authority of scien.
lists by way Of illustrating what very remark
| able thing sleep Is and how much we have yet
to learn about it, mental and physical at
tributes.
Somnambulism has often been called dis
ease, but Du Prel maintains that it is not so.
1t rather heals the disease-either directly
through its deep sleep or indirectly from the
| fact that, while in sleep. somnambulists are
often capable Of self-prescription Mesmers
theory was that such severe diseases of the
nervous system as catalepsy, epilepsy IND SO
on are really IAN incomplete somnambulism,"
| which can be cured by the application of arti-
cially-induced somnambulism-that is by
mesmerism.
ATLANTIC CIrY EXCURSION. train for
| Atlantic City will leave the Pennsylvania rail-
road station at p. m. Saturday, August 10, and,
| % tickets are valid returning by all trains on
Sunday and Monday following, purchasers can
have two whole days at this famous watering
resort. Secure tickets early. Rate only ca
| Adul
Claus Spreckles Was Responsible.
A New York Tribune special from San Fran
| cisco says private letters received there show