The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-13
AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
1t Was Asked by Resident of sa-
vaunah.


BROOKLYN, N. Y, Apr il IA lady il
Savannah, who has been under the care of
a professional mental scientist submits a
question which is sufficiently interesting to
be discussed in this public correspondence.
do you think" she asks, in straight.for-
ward English, shat one can by an effort of
the will prevent coffee from keeping one
awake at nights am particularly fond of
after-dinner coffee, and the lady who has
been treating me says, Drink the coffee, for
1t Is not the coffee that Keeps you awake,
but your mental attitude toward the coffee.
IL Is simply thought. and if you do not
allow yourself to think that thought, you
Will drink your coffee and sleep as usual"
have been treated to a goodly amount
OF this same kind Of stuff, and, as far as
can judge, it is unadulterated nonsense.
1t certainly will not bear a logicll test AMI
has only an unsupported theory to recon-
mend it. The effect OF coffee is exceedingly
marked on certain organisms It stimu-
lates the nerves and brigtens the intellect.
A strong cup of coffee has helped many a
weary sick-bed watcher through the trying
nights, and made it possible for the tagging
faculties of the penny-a-linsr TO write
the story which brought the bread for the
children. On some persons coffee has
tea in their cases will produce the same
stimulating results. To say that these
effects are brought about by a belief that
they will be produced is to accuse human
nature of more imbscility than really be-
longs to 1t. We are all unobservant and
illogical and foolish enough. aud perhaps
generally fail 20 charge effects to their
proper causes, but | know the nerve thrill,
the beautiful waking-up wrought on me by
| cup Of coffee. and it is az insult to my
Intelligence to tell me that this
INTEL actual soring is the result of thought.
What next, | wonder, in the way of foolish
ness! would like to ask these theorists
why the sleep which follows dose of NOR
Prime, or Inconsistencies coming after tho
inhalation of ether or chloroform, is not
the result of a thought. So | say TO my
friends who cannot drink coffee at night
without subsequent wakefulness. Let the
! cup OF dissipation pass YOU by. The mo-
mentary enjoyment and the pleasant effects
| of thls beverage cannot surely III Ike up for
the loss of nights sleep. Danish every
thing, turn cold shoulder TO everything
that interfereS with this most necessary
rest. Good sleep is the foundation of good
| health
There are unfortunately many Innocent
| sufferers from insomnia They do not
| drink flee. ne Their do they indulge in any
nerve stimulant. They simply cannot sleep.
| Various remedies have from time to time
been prescribed for this most unhappy and
/ dangerous condition, and once in awhile we
! hear OF something that seems to possess real
efficacy. In talking over this matter with
one OF our moss distinguished physicians,
was Informed that in his opinion a great
deal OF insomnia is produced by taking to
| bed the tangleS and perDlexitieS of the day.
A mother surrounded by her family has no
time to think out the problems of daily
living; the business man, full of schemes
! and ambitions, and threatened with reverses,
cannot plan his campaign surrounded by
| his clerks and customers. The fiue points
are all saved till the lights are out and the
house is quiet. The habit Of drinking in
| toxlcatlng liquors or of using tobacco is not
more quickly contracted than the habit of
sleeplessness, my doctor told me, aud when
once acquired is the most difficult Of all
| habits TO overcome. Now, while | cannot
agree with the mental healers in their
theories of thought-causes, am staunch
believer in the power of the will, and so
when this physician told me that he had
seen scores of cases of chronic insomnia per-
manently cured by turning off the thought
| currents simultaneously with the gas or
lamp in ones bedroom, 1t seemed to me
| there might be a good deal in the idea.
:" How is it done!" | asked
Let US take man." be replied, "who is
| thoroughly aware of his danger and is anx-
ious to do all he can to secure sleep. | say
to this man, when you go into your bed
room determine to stop thinking. By a
little mental skill you can reject an intrus-
i've thought. This may be at first Only to
make place for another, but the second can
be disposed of in the same ma mar, and
after awhile by refusing to haroor any one
thought the pictures upon the mind grow
mixed and kaleidoscope, and then follows
the passivity which produces comfort tbls
slumber. The experinenter must not
grow weary in thus keeping guard
over the door of his mind, for few nights
OF such picket duty will in the majority of
cases bring splendid results. The secret of
it is not to allow one thought an inssant's
entertainment. | wish there were some
words that would describe the action of the
mind In chasing these thoughts. Some body
some time will give the recipe with as much