Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-01

actualties imbued with life. Next in sus-
ceptib1hty are women and some men whose
bfalnS nave remained in the infantile state
properly called supplemented. Anaemia,
1eNer disturbance of the circ ulation, caused
by diseases of the heart of the large blood
vessels, disturbed respiration, due to asth-
ma or full stomach, are the most fire.
quent predisposing causes, and are as pow
erful as nervous disturbances, such as hys-
terra and hypochondria, in causing night
mare
Sometimes nightmare is due to pro-
longed Wakefulness, a radical change in
diet, or faulty position of the body such
as lying upon the back or face. Some
times 1t is due to some mechanical inter-
ference such as an aneurism or even swol-
len tonsils West has reported a case in
which. in spite of all hygienic treatment,
nightmare continued every night for long
period, due, as was discovered after care
ful consideration, to a prolonged uvua,
which, during sleep in the prone position
hindered free respiration. Cutting off the
point of this mischievous uvula caused the
permanent diScontinuance of the visits of
the nightmare.
In nervous persons emotional in chara cter
nightmare may be caused by gruesome
tales Or woful spectaces, grief, discourage
nent, hatred, anger, etc. In fact, the most
intense nightmare is due to Civilizations of
passion, due to the loss of dearly loved rel
atives or friends, sudden and extreme re-
verse of fortune, disappointed ambition, the
fear of disease, or even a shock to ones
self love and esteem. which, as has been
APPLY said, Stays more victims than love.
The treatment of nightmare consists in
awakening the subject and if there is per-
turbation of mind, giving some mildly Sc
datlVe potion such as warm water sweet
ened with syrup of lettuce. Following this,
care should be taken to remove the sup
posed cause, to prevent recurrence of the
nightmare. In the case of children intense
moral impressions. weird stories and grue-
some tales should be avoided, especially
before bedtime.
The child should be put to bed early to
avoid the exciting environment of the So
cial circle, of animated conversation and
conVlVial jollity. The evening meal should
be light one, both to quantity and
quality of food and drink, avoiding highly
Spiced relishes and stimulating drinks. The
chamber should be spacious and well-ven-
tiated, the bed not too soft and without
too much bed clothing. Perfect muscular
relaxation, avoidance of false positions and
perfect freedom, all compression interfering
with respiration or circulation must be
avoided. The feet ought to be warm and
lower than the head. The body should be
extended and not cuddIed up into a ball
When the bed is in an alcove or surround
ed by heavy curtains nightmare is sure to
Turk within, for they prevent the free cir
culatlon of air, and the brain is stupefed
as it were, by laughing gas produced by
the sleeper the air vitiated by him being
breathed over and over again.
The bed ought to be slightly inclined
from head to foot, but the proper eleva-
permanent. Anaemic people need to have
the head quite low, but full-blooded people
rest easier If the head is higher. An ex-
citable congested brain may be relieved by
warm baths, tonics and anti-spasmodics
like the bromides and valeran. If there is
tendency to palpitation the person should
lie upon the right side; if the liver is dis
ordered by chronic digestive troubles, the
person should lie on the left side. The
stomach should be in good condition es-
pecally if there Is fatulence due to gas
trio torpdity, leading to fermentation of
food, and dlation of the stomach should be
energeticaliy treated.
In Bacon's Natural History" which Is
quantity worded and based on very crude
knowledge of natut-l history, as it is I'M
derstood today. the author says, with
grain of truth, mushrooms cause the in
cubus of mare in the stomach" The same
might be said of Welsh rabbits and SINH
lar indigestible delicaces eaten just before
retiring; these lie hard on the stomach and
cause more horrible dreams in those not
hardened to such gourmandism. But it
is equally erroneous to go to the opposite
extreme and prohibit all food before retir-
ing, for often a light repaSt Is a most ex-
cellent nightcap, and the pleasantest and
safest remedy against insomnia and in
fact, against nightmare, for an empty
stomach may cause it just as much as an
overloaded one.
Not less important In the treatment of
nightmare is an endeavor to neutralize as
far as possible, all injurious moral causes
This is often simply matter of good
counsel and caution against the dangers
of poor hygiene and excess of passion The
friends should especially endeavor to reas-
sure and render cheerful those unfortunate
beings who have morbid fear of disease
(nosophobia, as it is technically called, to
discourage their broodings and encourage
them not to give way to despair Unfor-
tunately, the physician of today too often
scorns and neglects this administrator this
solace of mind, which is none the less Of
ten far superior to and more efficacious
than the most potent drugs