The Savannah morning news., 1900-12-31
DEATHS TWIN BROTHER"
The Cause of sleep and the Cure oi
sieepIc-.nes~ Freshly Discussed.

The CauSe OF sleep aud the Cure of
sieepIe-.nes~ Freshly Discussed.
DR. Andrew Wilson in the London Chron-
icle.
have been perusing a learned aud high
Is interesting lecture by Sir James Saw
yer. NJ D.. on a topic which possesses
"a deep interest for an Psychologists and
for most other folks as WE'LL mean that
OF sleep and sleeplessness. The average
mortal scarcely oomprehends how h'ue
We really know about the exact nature
o. the Ape Of Death" as Shakespeare
terms that state wherein we pass peace
fully into the Land OF Nod. II IL not
only the cause OF sleep which constitutes
A scientific puzzle: the cure of siecpless-
ness n another matter which doubles a
dificulty that before was single. There
Is no doubt that a sleeping brain receives
less blood than waking one. Durham =
observations settled that point long ago.
and subsequent observers inclined TO this
Idea that they had explained what sleep
Is when they had asserted the nnaemlc
state OF the brain as SIS real cause. But
IL Is obvious that while our brain in
creases its blood supply when We wake,
as conversely Il diminlshes that supply
when We 20 10 sleep. these facts do not
lead Us To the vera causa al all. They
are conditions merely. and not causes.
The movements OF a door are not TO be
explained hy saying that u moves on Sc
hinges what we desire 90 know is
what eets the door In motion. And 80
with sleep. Beyond this question 81 the
brains blood supply. We have to face
that OF the brains constitution. II is only
by dipping into the brains structure that
we are able to gain some adequate idea
regarding the real conditions that Tegu-
late the opening and the shutting Of the
mental door.
when brain cells are carefully studied
in their different phases OF activity ana
ropose they ore seen to undergo certain
remarkable changes Ia shape. The pro-
cessea or branches through which con-
tact is made between one cell and another
are seen 10 be retracted IN the resting
state. while IN activity they are extend
Cd However the changes IN question are
brought about. we may conclude that 4,
h the switching of OF the brain cells
from each other and the breaking 81 tho
contacts necessary for the carrying on
Of their work which represent the true
cause OF sleep. Fatigue OF the brain cell
Is thus the dominant note Of repose. and
the mechanism whereby that repose is
OF their branches. II ~ an Just IKE
telephone exchange IN this respect. where
we find contacts made aud broken con-
tinuaiiy in the active work % the center
AT night the connections are practically
severed. and such as may be made IN the
case OF the brain exchange carrying on
the work 81 dreaming. they represent the
work OF the night shift OF the brala.
n this view Of sleep be correct. we see
more clearly than ever that our resting
period must represent habit, Just ~
sieenlesaness IN is essence is q habit OF
another kind We break into the cycis
OF sleep when We sufYer from insomnia
and substitute ouother habit for that Of
repose What our doctors DO FOR us -
10 negative the vicious habit BY repiacins
that % sleep. hut hic labor. hoe opus est.
with sancho Panza. IN truth. We may
well agree when he exclaims: "Gof
bless the man tina; FIRST invented sleep"