Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-09
j. M. FOurquredn & Co.,
u3 East Broad Street

SLAMS fretted and fumed, but my Ceiestiai
merely sat down on one side OF the edge
OF a barrel. rested his feet against the
other edge-an uncomfortable position,
YOU will observe-laid his arms on his
knees and his head on his arms, ana
went off to sleep az sweetly as child
up there on his perch. It's faculty that
civilization deprives us of. that OF going
to sleep at any time and In any place.
The Papuans fall asleep when they've
nothing else to do. SO do all savages- so
do dogs"
Dogs can fall asleep at any moment
during the day." interrupted the patient,
because they stay awake all night bark
ing. as you'd know II you had ever tried
to keep one in house in the country.
when you're growing DID, contnueo
the Doctor. ''you may know that your m
tellect Is all right and your powers are
unimpalred so long as you stay awake.
it's only when you feel a constant neeu
of sleep that the decay OF the mental
faculties has set in"
Then maybe I'm growing young" said
the patient. II used to take nap Siter
dinner. and now don't even do that.
"a good thing for YOU" said the Doc
tor. you oughtn't to sleep after meals.
"Hsw about the famous siesta OF latin
countries!'
enough a case is pretty sure to come
along that will tell them what they want
10 know IL would, of course be easier
10 cut people up and find out the things
we want to know as the questions arise
hut there are objections to doing that
and so we have 70 wait until good for
tune Injuries somebody In the right way.
SO Il happened that once man had his
stomach cut open by an accident, and
his doctor made use OF him. The doc
tor learned, among other things. that
the process OF digestion became weaker
whllo the man was asleep. The moran
Is that II isn't well to sleep after meals.
Some people feel the need OF nap after
| eating. That Is because their digestive
apparatus isn't I'm good working order,
or because they are gluttons. In either
case blood needed elsewhere In drawn
10 the stomach, and the brain is i'm
poverished That's why serpents and
certain other animals go to sleep after
gorgng themselves"
THAT may be all right about the other
man." persisted the patient. but In my
case II Is different. / don't sleep now be-
cause I've had lot OF care OH my mind"
Maybe that's the reason and maybs
| II isn't replied the doctor. Care works
both ways. Toward the end OF his ca
reer Napoleon sometimes could scarcely
keep awake at critical moments In the
midst OF a battle. They said IL was his
liver, but II wasn't. The same phenone-
non was observed among the ancients.
passage was called TO my attentions
only the other day from Montaignes
essay on sleep. He describes the suicide
OF the Emperor Ohio. After having made
all arrangements for killing himself, ho
was so overcome by drowsiness that he
fell asleep, and soon was snoring. In tina
same way. Cation, when about TO make
away with himself, was overcome BY
sleep, and once the Emperor Augustus
when engaged In a naval battle, could
hardly keep himself awake long enough
to give orders"
"All that is very interesting" said the
patient; but what has all that to do
with my case7"
Everything in the world" answered
the Doctor. II we only knew what sleep
was, l might do something for you that
would remedy the evil In a direct manner;
but unfortunately We don't. We're not
even sure that we're anywhere near
knowing; but we think we are. Do you
know what tho-latest theory OF sleep Is?
OF course. you don't. It's only about two
years old, and il isn't yet in condition
for popular consumption. II Is too COM
are too many technicalities and provis-
icnal hypotheses and other involved
things about II. But the general idea OF
II Is simple enough. You know there are
such things as nerve cells. don't you?
Well. we used to suppose that they were
continuous, and formed a permanent line
Of communication for ideas TO pass over.
Now we find, or, at least. we think Wa
find, that they are only contiguous: that
they connect one with another by means
OF prolongations. Sometimes they con-
tract and draw In their prolongatiorsa. and
then they are as much shut of an1 iso-
lated as a medieval baron used 10 be I'm
his castle when he raised the drawbridge,
or as two cities are nowadays when a
blizzard comes along and blows down tho
telegraph wires. That Is sleep. Sometimes
a few OF the nerve cells remain connected
and exchange ideas; that is what dreams
are. When you're awake they're all con-
nected. and as you go TO sleep they cor
tract and shut OFF the current Pretty
theory. isn't IL? Well. In your case. say,
something's wrong that prevents the cells,
or some OF them, from contracting.
and keeps them excited So the thing to-
do is TO try TO soothe them, and that's
what I've been trying to do Don't worry
about going 10 sleep, and maybe In timo
the balky cells will gen Gained down
and Will contract. and then you'll get
all the sleep you're entitled 10. Try sootb-
Ing them. And ! suppose you expect no
TO give you prescription besides all this
good advice and WISDOM
II believe it's customary" said the pa
tlent