Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-11-24

Inc OpthaIm0SCOpe, 1t IS CilmGd Opens Up
the Vision to the Inner Mechanism of the Eye
and Brain as the Microscope Docs the Atoms
of Outer Space-Why the Drunkari Sees
Snakes-Various Visions Explained which
May be Produced at Will.
Recent experiments have thrown II
tremendous new light upon dreams"
said a prominent specialist in nervous
diseases here day or two ago, as
quoted IN the Washington correspond
ence of the Chicago TribHnr. "For
instance, it is shown satisfactorily
that character can be read from
dreams within certain limits, and how
dreams can he made to order by ap-
plying certain stimuli. Then there is
no end of fresh data explaining causes
of hideous Nightmares and ordinary
dreams, as well as of supposed premon-
itory visions during the sleeping state.
al have an instrument which lately
has been used to penetrate into the
hitherto unexplored chasms of dream
land. Technically it is known us the
opthalmoscope, but l call it my
dream telescope. 1t is used ordinarily
for careful examination OF the inner
mechanism of the eye. 1t has aided
in showing that much of the real food
for dreams is contributed by Opaque
particles upon the eye, which in the
waking state appear projected into
space as twisted bodies, drops, lines or
black spots, and often are mistaken
for natural objects.
Glow can the dreamer see them in
the dark? That is easily explained
The human body normally has the
glowworm characteristic of self-illumi-
nation. Phosphorus exists in all
healthy bone, tissue, muscle, blood
and nervous gray matter. Phospho-
rus emits light. light is generated in
every part of the organism. The eye
lid and the inner eye become illumi-
mated to degree imperceptible in the
waking state, but some people have
been known to be so phosphorescent
as to be normally luminous anywhere
in the dark. Substances on the eye
thus throw their dark shadows and
suggest objects which set the dream
mechanism in motion. Particles in
or out OF the retina seem, when the
eye is closed, to be five or six feet dis
tant The same is often true of
shadows due to folds in the cornea,
shadows of twitching blood vessels
and their corpuscles within the retina
Indeed increased blood pressure
through the retina is known to cause
various spectra.
"Snakes? The opthalmoscope has
revealed the fact that in state of al
coholism the normally pale and invis.
ible blood vessels of the retina enlarge
and turn almost black with congested
blood. Their movements in the field
of dream vision appear like the twist
ing of snakes.
ain dreams we see more than we
hear. In storm portrayed in a
dream we see the lightning, but sell
dom hear the thunder. This often
has been noticed. Likewise we hear
more than we feel, feel more than we
taste, and taste more than we smell
while dreaming.
However, we have all noted what
dream images have been suggested by
noises. The sharp banging of a door
suggests dream in which the report
of gun is heard. During sleep the
ear receives innumerable vibrations
imperceptible in the waking state.
These also furnish food for dreams.
81 know of man who, on feeling
hot water bottle placed to his feet,
dreamed that he was walking on hot
lava. This experiment tried in an
other case caused the subject to pic
ture himself as led by Satan over the
flaming floor of hell. In another,
Mexicans were holding the subjects
feet to fire to make him confess the
secrets of alchemy. A woman so
treated imagined herself a bear being
taught to dance over hot iron plates.
If you want to have some fun try this
experiment on some unsuspecting
friend. A cold application will prob
ably suggest walking on snow or ice.
Then there is the common dream of
walking about the street divested of
your lower apparel and of suffering
great embarrassment at being so dis
covered. You have dreamed this?
When you do SO again note that you
have kicked the covers off your legs.
Another common dream is that of fly
ing through the air. This is due to
a draft blowing over the body.
"Ekewise with the sense of smell.
l heard physician who, when re-
quired to spend the night at the ILL
smelling house of a cheesemonger,
dreamed that he was sealed up in an
immense cheese, where an army Of
rats was running over his naked body.
taste will act similarly. Ex-Sur-
geon General Hammond tells the
story of young woman who put aloes
on her thumb to cure her baby habit
OF sucking that member. She
dreamed that she crossed the ocean in