The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-04-26
CONCERNING NIGHTMARE
The Causes of the Trouble and
Ways Of Avoiding It.

ways o. Avoiding It.
The nightmare has nothing TO do with
horses. although they occasionally have
Il; the word mare really means In this
connection. a specter According to the
Bavarian popular belief the nightmare is
woman who appear sin the morning
asking to borrow something To keep
her away at night they promise her the
three white gifts if she will come for
them In the morning and when she
does come. as she surely wfll she is
given a handful OF flour, a handful OF
salt and an egg. In Morocco it is GUS
tomary to place dagger under the pill
low al night to ward on the nightmare,
and In Greece a blaek-handled knife Is
supposed to have the same effect The
ancient Germans believed that night
mare was due 10 a demon. who. during
sleep, seated himself upon the chest
Of the sleeper and oppressed his breath
ing.
The symptoms Of nightmare are varia-
bic. though they may be always extreme
~ dlsagreeable. 1t may be a realistic
sensation Of falling from a high place,
such as the summit Of a steep precipice:
~ fRh may "htANA aii fAAr AhNIWfH vi "A
flood. or fire. or a struggle with enemies
superior IN force and number. Frantic
animals may attack or spring upon the
sleeper. and with an these visions there
is an inexpressible anguish and pain
with a sense of imminent danger. escape
or defense seeming impossible. while the
victim IL unable 20 cry out for assist
anee or IN the always present struggle
at last utters groan or two which may
awake him.
Nightmare Is especially distingulshable
from dreams by the sensation Of deprss-
sion and sufiocation. Il is. in fact. true
temporary, miniature delirium Some
times. long after awakening. It leaves the
subject prey 10 nervous anxiety. violent
palpitation ana unusual debility In
fact. Il has a marked analogy with in
sanity, and II It is constantly recurring
it may be a serious portent pointing te
some affection OF the brain or mind.
Nor that nightmare eauses nervous dis
ease or insanity. but that nervous dis
ease pre-existing causes. on the contrary.
this special disposition Of the brain TO
temporary delirium
From this Il can be understood why
nightmare IS often hereditary. just as
abnormal nervous impressionabllty may
be inherited. The child too. sensitive
to the slightest impression. a living bun.
die Of nerves. IS more especially subject
TO night terrors. even while awake. owing
to the power OF the mind to project
ideas into space and with the eye TO see
them a. actualities imbued with life
Next in susceptibility are women and
some men whose brains have remained
in the infantile state properly called. sim.
ple-minded. Anaemia. fever disturbance
Of the circulation. caused by diseases Of
the heart or the large blood vessels. dis
turbed respiration. due to asthma or
fun stomach are the most frequent pre-
disposing causes and are as powerful as
nervous disturbances. such as hysteria
and hypochondria. in causing night.
mare.
Sometimes nightmare Is due to pro-
Ionged wakefulness. radical change IL /
iiet. OF faulty position OF the body. such
as lying upon the back or face some
lines it Is due 20 mechanical interference
luch as an aneurism or even swollen /
orsils. West according TO the Indlanap- !
lis Journal. has reported case IN which 4
% spite of al hygienic treatment. night. 4
mare continued every night for long
ieriod. due. as was discovered after care
ui consideration. to a PROLONGED uvuia
which, during sleep. in the prone position
iindered free respiration. Cutting on the
ioint OF this mischievous uvula caused
he permanent discontinuance OF the
'isits of the nishtmare
in nervous persons emotional IN charac-
er nightmare may be caused by grln
ome tales Or woful spectaciea. grief. dis-
hatred. anger etc. In fact.
he most intense nightmare d. due to
xaitations Of passion due 70 the loss Of
early loved relatives or friends. sud-
len and extreme reverse 0f fortune. dis
ppointed ambition the fear Of disease or
wen a shock % ones self love and es-
eem. which, as has beer aptiy said. siays
more victims thar love
The treatment Of nightmare consists in
Weakening the subject and II there is
erturbation or mind. giving some mildly
edative potion. such az warm water
weetencd with syrup q lettuce Follow
1g this care should Be taken 10 remove
he supposed cause. 70 prevent recurrence
Z the nightmare IN the case OF chill
ren intense moral impressions. weird