The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-02-01
"DEATH'S TWIN BROTHER"
Sleep md It's Cause n Puzzle to the
Scientific Mind

DR.. Andrew Wilson says: have been
pcrusing 4 learned and highly interesting
lecture by Sir James Sawyer. NJ. d.. on a
topic which possesses a deep interest for
all physiClogists and for most other folks
as we'll mean that of sleep and sleep
lessneSs. The average mortal scarcely
comprehends how little we really know
about the exact nature of the APE of
death, as Shakespeare terms that state
wherein we pass peacefully into the land
Of nod. 1t is not only the cause of sleep
which constitutes Il scientific puzzle. the
cure of SlecplCSSncSs is another matter
which doubles a difficulty that before was
single.
There is no doubt that sleeping brain
receives less blood than waking one.
Durhams observations settled that point
long ago aud subsequent observers in
cllned to this idea that they had explain
ed what sleep is when they had asserted
the anHmic state of the brain as its real
cause. Hut it is obvious that while our
brain increases its blood supply when we
wake, as conversely it dimnishcs that
supply when we go to sleep, these facts
do not lead us to the vera causa at all.
They are conditions merely. and not caus-
cS. lhc movements of door are not to
be explained by saying that it moves on
It's hinges. What we desire to know is
what sets the door in motion. And so
with sleep. Beyond this question of the
brain blood supply we have to face that
of the brains constitution. 1t is only bv
dipping into the brains structure that we
are able to gain some adequate idea re-
g0rding the real conditions that regulate
the opening and shutting of the mental
door
vi hen brain cells are carefully studied
in their different phases of activity and
fepoSe, they are seen to undergo certain
remarkable changes in shape. The proc
eSScS or branches through which con-
tact IS made between one cell and anoth-
er are seen to be retractcd in the resting
state, while in activity they are extended.
However the changes in question are
brought about, we may conclude that il is
the switching off of the brain cells from
each other and the breaking of the con-
facts necessary for the carrying on of
thelr 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 Sc
cured is seen at work in the retraction of
their branches.
1t is all just like a telephone exchange
IN this respect, where we find contacts
made and broken continually in the ac-
tive work of 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 of
dreaming they represent the work Of
the night shift of the brain. If this view
OF sleep be correct, we see more clearly
than ever that our resting period must
represent a habit, just as sleeplessness
in its essence is a habit of another kind
We break into the cycle Of sleep when
we suffer from insomnia and substitufA
another habit for that of repose. what
our doctors do for us is to negative fhe
vicious habit by replacing that of sleen
but hic labor, hos opus est. With San
enc Panza, in truth, we may well agree
when he exclaims, "God bless the ma4
that first invented sleepv'-Londo<
Chronicle.