The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-24
THE VALUE OF SLEEP.
sANTThs GIVES HIS views ON THIS
MOST IMPORTANT SUBJECT
valuable Suggestions Made as 70 Eating.
Resting at Home. and Other Subjects
That Affect Ones Health.

The Rev. NJ. j. Savage, OF New YORK,
In sermon delivered In June, made the
following statement, which, perhaps, Is
not 50 exaggerated as would seem at
the first blush:
THE man who eats wrongly, or the wo-
man who eats wrongly. does not go Wild
like a person who has become insane
from the use OF whiskey. The person VINO
has wasted and worn his body by bad
eating, does not break furniture, per-
haps, does not knock down his wife on
beat his children. But It IS quite posi-
bic for a persons nerves by dyspepsia,
TO be wrought into such a condition that
the life is depressed. miserable, unhappy
blue, nagging, fault-hnding. and COM
planning. And it Is quite possible through
processes Ike these. that as much unhap-
piness may be created in the course OF a
year as there may be In the indulgence OF
drink. Quite possible. Think OF IT,
SLEEP ENOUGH.
lie then went on 10 give some forcibie
Ideas on sleep.
How much sleep do we need? Just
enough, and II is foolish for us to lay
down rules for other people. Timothy
Titcomb said in one Of his papers, that 1t
used TO be a saying that six hours sleep
was proper quantity for man, seven
hours for a woman, and eight for fool.
And after quoting it. he adds that, i'm
his opinion, the author of IL ought 10
have slept the last named number OF
hours himself. And / agree with him. /
know people, was brought up in that
way myself-who have the insane idea
that it is q virtue in itself TO get up early
in the morning There is no virtue I'm get
ting up early in the morning unless you
have slept enough. il depends entirely
on what time you went 10 bed at night.
Sleep enough. and IL you do not get one
time during the rwenty-fOur hours, get it
at some time if yoo can.
RESTING Fl HOME.
II Is possible for any woman TO prac-
tice the rest cure in her own home For
example, one physician writes: Il insist
that my wife a person Of the nervous
temperament, who exhausts her energy
every day, often needlessly, shall remain
in her room at least until nine o'clock
every morning. At first she found this
a trial and fancied the household could
not be started unless she was about. but,
within a week, things went on as smooth
" as usual, and now IL would upset ov-
erything If she came down TO breakfast
and undertook to manage things. The
children are old enough TO eat their
breakfast and 60 to school without her
supervision, or, If they need attention,
It is an easy thing to run up 10 moth
er's room. After they are gone cook
comes up 10 take the orders for the morn
ing, and 1t often happens that If Mrs. --
is not going out she does not leave her
room until she comes down TO luncheon
This is an experiment. but the result is
that she has gained over twenty ponds
pounds that restore her 10 her normal
weight Seven-eighths Of the slender wo-
men Of the world lose weight by over-ac-
tivity: they are too active right i'm their
own homes. or over-eXercised out Of
doors. The old notion Of getting up early
was not made to iii this restless and en-
ereetc age. The new reading for this
class should be lie abed as long as you
can. and when you do get up, take things
as easily as possible.
EARLY RISING AND INSANITY.
From a medical journal is taken the
following:
The great poets of the world have all
ways sung in praise of sleep.
sore labor's bath.
Balm of hurt minds
They have always consistently opposed
the habit Of early rising. except in so
far as they have depicted (writing by the
light of a lamp. the glories of the morn
ing and the suggestive promises OF
beautiful sunrise. The Scriptures are
also on the side Of prolOngng slumber.
"Yet a little sleep, a little slumber.
little folding of the hands 10 sleep. says
Solomon
But the habits of modern civilization
and the traditions Of family life have
been steadily set against these poetcal
and scriptural ideals. In whatever else
men may differ. or in whatever other way
they err IL is agreed that the habit Of
early rising is seemly advantageous and
necessary.
The statement. therefore. by promi-
nent mental specialist and superintcnd-
linn. hot .l..Nrr
rising promotes insanity comes with
terrible shock upon the serenity Of estab-
lished beliefs and long cherished Gus
toms. DR.. Selden II. Talcott Of Middle
town. y. Y, however, supplements this
statement Of his by argument of no mean
weight He calls attention TO the rela-
tive frequency with which farmers. their
wives, daughters, and sons become in
sane. The cause Of this has Leen hereto
fore thought TO be THEN isolated lives
their hard work. and perhaps the OK
cessive use Of pie and potatoes. yet, these
have never seemed quite adequate eNpla-
nations when one considers the tact that
the farmer has constantly fresh AR.
abundant exercise, no undue excitement
or mental strain. and relatively little al
cOhoism. So that Dir. TalcOtts view is
at least, a helpful one in the way Of eX-
planning the insane tendencies Of the ordi-
nary agriculturist
He states that the excessive early hours
of rising. which are customary among the
farmers. and which hours are imposed
uDOn their sons and daughters and wives,
prevent sufficient amount of rest. Grow
ing children. he thinks in particular
suffer from "the artificial cutoff which
is applied so rigidly to their lives.
The suggestion of Dir. TalcOtt is valua-
BILE from another point Of view. because
the particular cause of insanity % which
he refers is one that can 50 easily ana
comfortably be cOmbated. II Is not IKE
the enforced abstinence from tea. and all
cohol. and tobacco high-thinking. and
all the other ordinary comforts or luXu-
ries of civilization. The diminution Of in
sanity by staying In bed later mornings
is a task to which all will address them
selves with pleasure. and We believe that
every farmers boy will have a sense OF
particular kindness toward the physician
who has discovered this new method for
preventing possible mental disorders. We
might readiust the well-known lines Of
Sir William Jones for the benefit of the
farmer. somewhat as follows.
Eight hours to sleep, TO soothing pleas
ures. seven.
Nine TO the farm allot, and al 70 heav-
en-" SANlIAS.
+. II. Sothern possesses two things that
the average woman adores. though he
declares that he didn't know IL until
told him so These two things are the Mig
uathetic es-dOuble- power eyes ~ Il "a