The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-14
quits the body to visit the cemeteries, and
feast upon the remains of the recently

quits the body to visit the cemeteries, and
feast upon the remains OF the recently
dead.
In Dalmatia the belief is current that
there are sorceters whose delight is to tear
out the hearts of lovers, and to cook and eat
them. Nodier relates the story of a young
man about to be married, who was the con
slant victim of nightmare. during which be
dreamed that he was surrounded by these
sorcerers ready to pluck his heart from his
breast, but who oftsned awakened just as
they were about to proceed to ~extremities.
In order to be effectually relieved
from their visitations. he was advised
to avail himself of the company of
an old priest who had never previously
beard of these horrible dreams, and who
did not believe that God would give such
power to the enemies of mankind. After
using various forms of exorclsm, the priest
vent peacefully to sleep in the same room
with the patient, whom he was commits
stoned to defend against the sorcerers.
his eyelids than he thought he saw the de-
mons lowering over the bed of his friend.
alight. and, laughing horribly, throw them
selves or his PROSTATE body, and with their
claws tear open his breast, and Selling his
heart, devour it with frightful avidity.
Unable to move from his bed, or to utter a
sound, he was forced to witness this terri
BILE scene. At last he awoke to see no n
but his companion, pale and haggard, stag
gering toward him, and finally falling dead
at his feet.
These two men had similar attacks.
What one dreamed he saw, the other
dreamed he had experienced.
& The causes of nightmare may be divided
into the exciting and the Immediate. The
exciting causes are very numerous, linus
ual fatigue either of mind or of body, recent
emotional disturbance, such as that pro-
duced by fright, anxiety or anger, and in
tense mental excitement of any kind may
produce it. I have known a young lady to
have a severe attack the night after q school
examination, in which she had been unduly
tasked. Another young lady is sure to be
attacked after witnessing a tragedy per-
formed. A Young man who was under my
care for q painful nervous affection, always
had a paroxysm of nightmare during the
first sleep after delivering an address which
he was obliged to do every month for a
year or more.
Fullness of the stomach or the eatin & of
indieestlble or highly stimulating food late
in the evening will often cause nightmare.
Let an individual habitually systematic
depart for one day from the accustomed
regularity of his meals; lot him change the
hour of his Inner. and cote bed before the
work of digestion is completed, and it is
probable that his sleep will be troubled and
that nightmare will be the consequence of
LIB lluisCFcLtOH. Ii pulAluA lcolAIk WiA
be induced by distension OF the stomach,
by anxiety, and by the restraint given to
the over of the diaphragm.
Starchy food would appear to be e.
pecially powerful in causing nightmare,
and according to Molet, strong liquors
and sparkling wines and coffee are equally
so. | have several times known it pro-
duced by the New England dish of baked
Fork and beans, and By green Indian corn
eaten just before going to bed.
Various morbid affections, such as dis
cases Of the heart, aneurian of the large
arteries, affections Of the brain or spinal
cord, and diseases of the digestive or
urinary apparatus arc often exciting GAUGES
of nightmare. 1t may originate from pain
full sensations in any part of the body.
Whatever lnteffereg with the respiration
or tho easy flow of blood TO and from the
head may bring on an attack of nightmare.
/ have known it caused by the collar Of the
niohtgown being too tight, and by the pill
low being under the head and not under
the shoulders, thus putting the head ut
such an angle with the body as to construct
tho blood vessels of the neck, and by the
head falling over the side of the bed. !
have not been able to ascertain that sleep
ing upon the back or III the left side pre-
disposes to the affection, unless in thoge
cases in which the former position cauges
snoring from relaxation of the soft palate.
The immediate cause of nightmare il I'M
doubtedly the circulation of blood through
the brain, which has not been sufficiently
aerated. The appearance of the sufferer Ia
enough to indicate this, ns tho condition of
the cerebral vessels and all the exciting
causes act either by retarding the flow OF
the veinous blood from the brain or by i'm