The age-herald., 1898-05-21
PLENTY OF SLEEP
 THE NEW CURE

From the Chicago Record.
 Edward Belamy, in his last book, Equal ity," hints that the physician of the twen- tieth century will be a diagnostician and clirnatoligst rather than healer. How ever that may be, 1t is fact that the con- scientious medical man of today seldom administers drugs when drugs may be dis pensed with. The pious fraud that Is prac- ticed by the physician on the patient who desires to be "treated" serves the double purpose of insuring the physician the cons f1dence of his client and of gaining what ever advantage there may Turk in the psychological or mental processes of the patients economy. The fact of the matter is and every graduate of medicine is aware of it, that the modern healer can do very well with three agents out of the innumera- ble mineral and vegetable derivatives used in healing. These three are opium and quinine ana mercury ir. it's various com binations.
 It is doubtful if the use of chemical medi- cines will ever be abandoned, but 1t re- quires no stretch of fancy to conceive an advanced stage of science in which hygiene will replace drugs and prevention will ob- viate the necessity of cure. Neither must we leave out of conside ration the ever-ad- vancing knowledge of nerve action, unscien- tifically thrust into the foreground by all the "schools'' of so-called mind cure, which are naturally opposed by the advocates of strong medicine" for the reason that the very existence of the drug doctor is there by threatened. But if the drug man is yielding slowly and stubbornly he is yield sne ic auf- dently in the fact that retail drug stores, which not long ago grew fat on prescrip- tions, are now driven to compete with ice- cream saloons, tobacconists and notion stores.
 A book might profitably be written on this theme. The purpose here is to call atten- tion to one phase of the new regime in medicine, followed along the lines indicated above. Sleep is now "prescribed' in large doses by physicians of all schools and of all colors of ethics. Most remarkable "cures'' are effected by generous use of sleep. Americans, more than any other people, suffer from gastro-nervous disor- ders. Neurasthenia catarrh of the stomach and indigestion are favorite American dis eases. Physicians are beginning to learn that these disorders do not yield to drugs. The physician with fine practice inyaria- bly orders rest and change of scene," and
 
 he can always recover his health. But un- fortunately for most patients rest and change of scene are prohibited by business and lack of "change," and these poor peo- pie are condemned to drag out insane lives until they die of sheer exhaustion Happily there are some true physicians men whose ideals lift them above mere money getting, whose first desire is to do their fellow men service, and many of these, while rejecting the methods of the .,t-4t, t,4 -atA tG@ fA1 lowing directly in his wake by prescribing sleep for neurasthena and it's inter-related gastric disturbances.
 Let us take an imaginary patient who is afflicted with the classic ''catarrh of the stomach" shattered nerves" and chronic indigestion. Such a person is unfit for so- cial intercourse and for all the functions from which the healthy man or woman derives pleasure-the duties of life, busi- ness, family cares-in one word, work. If he be a millionaire he can get well by go- ing abroad. If he be an employe he must suffer- Here it is that sleep comes in, knits up the raveled sleeve of care, bathes sore labor and makes man out of a wretch. Twelve or thirteen hours in bed will cure any man woman of catarrh, catarrh of the stomach and intestines with it's re- sultant neurasthenia, or the nervous dis orders that are followed by the catarrhal condition, for nerves and stomach act and react inter SC. Let our patient go to bed and sleep. Let him not rise until his twelve or fourteen hours bed time have passed. Let him persist in this treatment and he will recover.
 But" hear the patient exclaim, q can't sleep. That's what's the matter with me. If I could only sleep I'd be all right I need something to make me sleep" A noted English physician has discovered an absolute and unfailing cure for insomnia where induced by such nervous and ailmen- tary causes as those spoken of here For the benefit of the sufferers let us describe the cure here. Go to bed and lie on the flat of your back with the limbs straight and uncrossed Place hand on the breast The other should be held in the air at a slight angle from the body, so that the arm has no support other than that given it by the contraction of the muscles Let the mind busy itself in maintaining the position of the arm. Do not give in to the desire to rest the arm, when it grows tired by letting it fall on the bed. Hold 1t poised in the air. The result will be sound sleep. This position may be changed to any other in which any set of muscles are used. leg or arm with the same result. The patient soon finds out the best way, and presently when the habit of quickly falling to sleep is acquired, forgets all about his insomnia
 So much for the first part of the cure Should the patient wake suddenly In the night. let him set his muscles and mind to work and go to sleep again. In short time he will be able to sleep ten. twelve or fourteen hours at a stretch. Now let him persist in sleeping his twelve hours or at least sleeping until he fels perfectly refreshed. By going to bed early he will have time to eke out his rest in the morn- ing If he rises at 6 a. m. let him retire at 6 D. m. This treatment has cured thous- ands of neurasthenia and indigestion. The patient will find that the more he sleeps the less often (but the more heartiy) will he eat. He will rest nerves and stomach at the same time. and he can attend to business" right along and save money while he is doing It.