New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-21
NOW no CURE SLEEpLESSNESS.

DR.. Ford has been explaining to the good people
of Utica how 20 induce sleep. The man who Is
troubled with insomnia is like his fellow who has
n bad cold or is seasick-if he does not speedily
ret the better OF what ais him. IL Is not for want
OF remedies. II is expected that MIR. Porters
forthcoming census report viii show that there
are 247 649 sure cures for q bad cold now before
the public, and that new cures are being discov-
cred at the rate Of ifty-four day, Sundays in
cmded The figures for seasickness and insomnia
cures have not yet been collated, but experienced
statsticians believe that they win compare favor
ably with those relating 10 bad colds, or at all
events will prove 10 be so large as 20 meet al rea-
sonable demands In fact, perhaps the best way
70 cure o particularly stubborn case of wakeful-
ness is for the victim Of the disorder 20 endeayor
70 recall and fix his mind upon oil the schemes for
inducing sleep which have been brought TO his
notice.
That is an odd cure for insomnia mentioned by
Goldsmith:
And what Ia friendship but namo;
charm that lulls TO slcep1
No person who is accustomed 70 find sleep de-
sorting his eyphds ought TO he without friend
ship OF this sort Il would prove Invaluable, de-
monstrating that IN the economy Of the universe
bores serve q most useful purpose. Goldsmith.
however, was hOsry generalizer There is large
quantity OF friendship which, so far from lulng TO
sleep, Keeps persons OF convivial turn wide
awake the whole night through, in the immediate
vicinity OF flowing and oft-replenished bowl.
Alexander Pope, in The Dunciad," alludes TO an
other interesting remedy for insomnia:
While ponsive poets painful viRils keep,
sleopless themselves, TO give their readers sleep.
What can be more truly neighborly than that.
for the slcepless 10 he the Of sleep IN others
Such demeanor," as George Sampson remarked
on O potable occasion OF the mother OF his hearts
idok " Is worthy Of angels"
Bht TO return 70 Dr. Ford. He had nothing 10
soy of either the Goldsmith or the Pope remedy.
Still he made several suggestions worth the conSid-
GRAFTON OF tho sleepless. Tho withdrawal of the
attention from external circumstances and sur
roundings," Inc remarked, Is and the concentration
upoa one mOHotOnous uneXcting line with the ex-
pectation OF attaining sleep, will produce natural
sleep in many persons" An excellent hint, but
Oh how awfully hard seeplesS wre tch finds IL
20 oct upon He does his level best TO accomplish
:" the withdrawal of his attention" from the excit-
ing and the trapsfer Of his attention 10 the dullest
thing In the world-last YEARS. birdsnests, on old
Patent Office report, the taxsale list OF a back
county newspaper Of O State where he owns no
property. But 1t 10 no use. The victim 20 In
somnia finds that the earnest effort TO fall asee
makes him more walteful than ever. II is TOO
bad, and perhaps is one Of the many proofs of the
depravity OF human nature
"Wakeful people" this is another of the Doc
tors observations" will not go 10 sleep so long
as they ore In a state of apprehension that they
will not sleep" Naturally not, hut scores of
wekeful people have Sohmnlt resolved not TO be
apprehcnsive Of not going 20 sleep, only 10 dis
cover that Nature was not to be fooled by their
Hypocrisy. What Is the use Of making up your
mind that you viii not BIO apprehensiye when You
know all the while that you will ber Let us keep
our Conscience clear, even II we cannot sleep.
And who knows but thar II 3 man hiss the courage