Democratic messenger., 1911-11-25
DREAM FANTASIES
Cause and Effect In the Visions
That Come In Sleep.
A DREAMS CURIOUS SEQUEL.
II Explained the Meaning Of the OFT
Recurring Fancy That q Cat Was
clawing the sIurberer's Throat.
Rapidly Of the Dream Process.

Rapidly OF the Dream Process.
II was n personal experience of a
singular character that first impressed
upon me. some years ago, the impor-
tance of dreams as subject for Sc
rlous investigation. says II. 'Addlngton
Bruce in the outlook. Until then I
had shared the opinion prevailing
among laymen-and. II would seem.
among most scientists also - that
dreams are entirely fanciful and
meaningless. But my experience was
such I could no longer believe this.
To state It briefly. It involved the
recurrence Of most bizarre dream.
At least twenty times during period
OF six months ] had the same dream
namely. that cat was clawing Mt my
throat. The stage setting and the mi
nor incidents might vary. but always
the central episode was the same. and
usually the fury Of the dream cats
onset was so great that It would
awaken me Naturally this recurrent
dream puzzled me. so much so that
spoke about II.
Then one day the accident Of a
heavy cold that settled In my throat
led to a medical examination. which.
much TO my surprise. revealed the
presence Of growth, requiring imme-
diate treatment by the surgeons knife.
Some time afterward II suddenly oc-
Cured to me that since the removal
OF the dangerous growth had not
once been troubled by the cat clawing
dream. Its significance now began to
dawn on me.
l had suffered no pain. not even in
convenience. from the growth In my
throat In fact | had not consciously
been aware Of its presence. But un-
questionably the organic changes ac-
companying II had given rise TO sensa-
tions which. slight though they were.
had made nm impression on my sleep
ing consciousness sufficient TO excite
II TO activity My recurrent dream
consequently was to be regarded as II
symbolic representation Of the dlsor'
der in my throat-an attempt to inter
pret II. 10 explain II. And. indeed,
even In the dream. for all It's fantastic
imagery and symbolism. the seat Of
the trouble was indicated plainly
enough as could appreciate after the
surgeon had completed his labors.
An experience was reported by Al
fred Maury. one OF the earliest scien'
tifc investigators OF the phenomena
OF sleep. who dreamed that he was
living In Paris during the Terror and
had been rut on the prescribed list.
After many exciting adventures he
was captured. tried and sentenced TO
execution. He saw himself dragged
through the streets amid clamoring
multitude and forced to mount the
scaffold and bare his neck TO the fatal
blow In that Instant as the gulllO-
tine knife descended he awoke TO find
that piece Of the cornice OF his bed
had fallen and struck him ON the neck.
Testifying even more lmpressively 10
the twofold action of the dream proc
css and TO its rapldity is dream ex-
perience Of my own. In this dream
was walking alone at night along
country road. II was lined on both
sides by trees which. as learned
from man who presently Joined me.
were laden with fruit. ! picked some
pears and ate them as we walked and
talked The road seemed 10 overlook
n broad valley In which l saw soil
tary light Ny companion told me that
Il was IN his home and invited me TO
pass thc night with him. After tir-
ing wA we reached the house. a
small iN" room cabin. He retired into
tie inner room and I went to bed In
the outer had not been long asleep
when. In my dreams. ! was awakened
by the noise Of somebody running. and
the thought instantly flashed into my
mind that my host was making or
with my money. ! leaped up shout
Ing. stop. STOP"
Then veritably awoke and as did
so distinctly heard on the pavement
below my window the sound OF hur-
ried footballs and voice crying ex-
citedly. stop. stop" At once 1t was
clear that these two words. penetrat-
ing to my sleeping consciousness. had
provided the necessary stimulus to set
up n dream process which. in the frac-
ton of n second. had interpreted them
as best II could and had presented the
results of its Interpretation In the form
Of curious little narrative Of noctur-
nal adventure
Dreams may be produced by the
use OF artificial irritants. One sleeper.
whose nose was lightly tickled with
feather. had horrible dream OF n
mask of pitch being alternately ap-
piled to and drawn violently from his
face. Another. at whose feet a hot
water bag was placed, dreamed that
he was walking over hot lava. In a
second experiment OF the same sort
the accidental Slipping OF the cover
from the hot water bag led TO an elab-
Drate dream OF capture and torture by
D~ol.., ,.,o,,usoE, t.onAfto ,.-ha In al