The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-23
CURES FOR INSOMNIA.
How Famous Men HAVE DuIIed the
Edges of Care.

Edges of Care.
From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
have been so thoroughly Interested in
the cures for insomnia that have appeared
in the press for the last few years that 1
have been accustomed to clip many of
them for preservation. They now COM
bine so much of the interesting and anus
ing with the possibly useful that make
a collection of them for the "Globe-Dem-
ocrat." trrm..
John Quincy Adams was very much
troubled to secure sleep through the whole
of his public career. 1t probably had
something TO do with his crusty behavior.
He is said to have adopted the habit of
having two sleeping rooms adjoining. or
two beds in one room. When he could
not sleep IN one of these he would move
over to the other, and this process he
kept uD until he fell asleep There was
probably some philosophy in this because
insomnia very generally depends upon
hXedness of attention upon some topic,
and whatever abstracts the attention tends
toward relief.
The japanese and the Chinese are said
to be admirable sleepers; in fact are new
er unable 10 He down and go to sleep at
Will. 1t is suggested that this is due. at
least in part, 10 the kind Of pillow they
use and the method of using it, This is
never bag of feathers placed under the
head, where 1t IS likely 10 induce heal
that is, TO make a flow of blood TO the
mead. 1t is a rather solid roll. and placed
beneath the neck The tendency of such
pillow is to check the flow of blood
10 the head rather than induce il. A
friend insists that he has received decided
benefit from his Chinese pillow.
Edward Everett Hale. when asked for a
receipt for sleep, answered: you must
not worry, either over your work or the
consequences of it. You must stop your
brain work al O'clock in the afternoon
and from that time till you go to bed oc-
oupy yourself with genial social pleas
ures.' He especially laid emphasis upon
avoiding the fret and worry of competing
with other people. DO your work as well
as YOU can, and never mind who gets the
glory of it,"
How Gladstone Slept.
Gladstone after night session in Par
hament, was accustomed TO go to his Iodg-
ing and busy himself for half an hour
reading poetry, and by preference Amer
lean poetry. Whether it was a compli-
ment 20 our American poets that they put
Mr.. Gladstone to sleep is an open ques-
ton.
ity in both this country and Europe aa-
vises a hot bath taken before retiring
This should be between 80 degrees and IS
degrees of heat. Remain in from ten
to fifteen minutes. I believe that il is
agreed by all those who manage sani-
tariums THAI this is a specific remedy.
Those who refer to the difficulty of the
stomach, generally put up on a diet
which they think best adapted to quick
digestion and TO produce the least dis
tnrbance in the intestinal track Most of
these prescriptions order US to Aorego the
use of raw fruit at night, but to eat free
ly Of it in cooked state. One of our
best authorities says: use rolled wheat
with a little cream, for supper; and on
no account retire within three hours of
mealtime."
One of the Methodist Episcopal Bishops
few years ago announced that he had
discovered that the use of peanuts, freely
eaten at night, produced condition of
somnolence. He had been victim of in
somnia but was entirely recovered
Others have given the use of raw onion
before retiring a specific against sleep
lessness. Both of these remedies would
be more likely to kill than cure in the
majority of cases, while il is not improb-
able that idiosyncrasies might be such
as to render them useful in certain cases
The Diet Cure.
The latest fad is to omit the first meal
of the day. This is supposed to have a
general bearing upon the health which
will report itself, not only through the
day, but in giving US sound sleep. Eating
two meals instead of three amounts to
about the same thing. ! believe that those
who have tested this practice are pretty
nearly unanimous that 1t is beneficial to
health, and that it conduces to a we'll
nourished body. Whatever does this will
induce in us a spirit and tendency to re-
cuperation and rest 1t is more than
probable that we eat TOO much, and that
we are overworking our internal organs.
One authority does not hesitate to say in
reply to the question what one cause kills
the most people, "Overeating" He adds
that when our arms and legs have be-
come incapable of doing a good days
work we are inclined 10 demand of the
stomach and intestinal track to do more
work than ever. His rule is balance your
internal and external work.
Among the remedies proposed I find in
several cases directly opposite rules laid
down. One physician tells us that we
should sleep whenever we feel sleepy in
the day time but another just as strong
ly advises that we shall never sleep till
bed time so as 20 get sleepy
Where such contradictory rules
are given us we shall have 10
experiment lOi OURSELVES. My own rule
is that of Ii Hung Chang, to sleep after
dinner for an hour or more. But If one
adopts this rule he must adhere to 1t in
spite of social distractions.
All drug-sleep is violence done to vital
organs-the brain and the heart 1t is
more than probable that the Increase of
sudden death is almost entirely due to
the use of narcotics.
The True Remedy.
The whole trouble, says recent author
ity, is with irregularity of circulation Let
this be restored by rubbing and sir1!lar
processes. This is true of colds and ANY
forms of disease. This remedy is practic-
ally the same as the Swedish movement
cure. 1t is also closely allied to that 9TH
or grand remedy, the Russian bath, or
turk sh bath. 1T is not necessary that we
should depend for the advantage that ac-
crues from these forms Of the same rem
edy upon outside help Chatting the body,
e especially with The double hand, from the
knee to the thigh for fifteen minutes at a
time, while lying prone, is a simple form
Of the Swedish movement cure.
Among the prescriptions 10 be placed
under the head of exercise. l find one
Ia ia ~ aet