The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-09-14
% %"@0I E "ao 20 :'va.oot Death.

Very curious and interesting is the
temporary uneasincss Of all night
sleeping humans and animals at about
8 o'clock every morning. At that
hour they give little means, awaken
partially or wholly, and then either
drop back into sluTber or into death.
Physical giants among living men, and
lions among animals, have this expe-
rience, just as do the fraiest babes or
weakest kittens. Viewed in any and
every light, the occurrence is remark
able. Why is it not at midnight, at l
a. M, 2 q. M, or in the case of late
sleepers, why does it not come at 6 or
Z o'clock?
At the hour Of o'clock every
morning every night-sleeping man,
woman, child and animal is nearer
to death than at any other moment in
81! the twenty-four hours. It is then
thas the more active Of the vitals
come the nearest to stopping OF run
ming down. They come so near il that
il they came breath-an atom nearer
it they would stop.
The machinery of life comes within
just a hairs breadth of stopping at
some moment near o. m. The way
OF this is explained as follows: The
composure Of the body when lying
still produces not only rest, but the
same element of danger so omnipres-
ent to all machinery left unattended =
the absence Of watchful brain.
In welcoming the hours Of sleep
you unoonsciously welcome deaths
most advantageous time for conquer
ing you. Every moment you are
asleep your physical self is running
unmatched by the engineer. The
supply Of coal (food) for the furnace
is withheld. The steam (blood) in the
pipes run low. This neglect Of the
engine room Of the body continues un-
til some moment at about 3 O'Clock
o. m. the machinery oil but stops. In
the healthy or fairly healthy body the
coming OF this moment produces
mild shook to the system, and this
shook caused you 20 unconsciously
throw out your arms and legs, rub
your nose violently, moan, take deep
breath and turn over. Your doing all
this-or most Of it-has literally and
OF sober truth saved your life. It
gives fresh impetus to the almost
stopped action OF the heart, which in
turn restores the well-nigh stopped
circulation all through your body.
The moan and deep breath quicken
cd the action Of the lungs and aroused
them to their usual rate Of speed.
The rest that their organs had receiv-
ed By being allowed to run slow-to
run almost enabled them, with
the restarting administered by the 3
O'Clock commotion, to successfully
begin another run, carrying you over
the death point and allowing you to
resume completion Of the full period
OF rest necessary to the brain and to
the nerves and muscles Of the limbs
am, other portions OF she body.
As to what causes the little shook
that carries us over the bridge OF death
the wisest OF the wise know nothing.
The theories about it are legion. But
they are " theories.
The percentage OF deaths at this
marvellous moment exceeds that Of
any o:ner in the twenty-four hours
while the number OF old people who
die at about o'clock in the morning
10 appallingly in excess OF their death
rate eor any other time. In ell cases
% al critical IL is said chat phy ysicians
secretly dread the hour. 3 q. M,
hundredfold more than scarSely any
other incident in practice, white, to
all that lives and breathes, it brings
the most momentous time OF all exist
Gne.nnnet Eannire--