New-York tribune., 1912-01-21
WHAT MAKES Us SLEEP
Some of the. Causes and Cures
of Insomnia.
DOESN'T PRODUCE INSANITY
Were We Perfect Machines We d
Always Be Awake, Says DR.,
Joseph Collins.
by &. Elliot Flint.

"Sleeplessness or insomnia is serious only
when very persistent. and 1t is then a
symptom i'm most cases, not Of brain dis
ease. but of some bodily inhrmity. lnsom-
mia is not a cause of insanity. but may be
O. manifestation that insanity exists"
SO spoke Dr.. Joseph Collins, head eXecu-
tive physician of the Neurological Institute
of New York. visiting physician for twenty
years to the City Hospital and former
professor of nervous and mental diseases
I'm the Post Graduate Hospital.
was much surprised. Il thought said !,
"that inability to sleep was usually a sign
of some mental disturbance; and it seems
reasonable to suppose that insomnia, il
persistent, might cause insanity
1T never does" reiterated DIR. Collins.
'Very many patients have come TO me and
declared that unless they could sleep they
felt sure they'd go mad. l felt sure they
wouldn't. and they never did. When in
somnia signifies actual insanity, the suf-
ferer doesn't think he'll become insane,
but, on the contrary. attributes his wide
Rwakeness to his superior organization"
what is the reason that one does not
Sleep"
Who
Who
Whom do YOU mean? Neither l nor any
one else could answer such a general ques-
ton as you've asked. The causes of sleep
lessness are countless. and rarely does the
same cause affect several individuals alike.
What will keep one awake may put an
other TO sleep-alcohol, for instance.
TRUE INSOMNIA is RARE.
"Occa sional sleeplessness is not insomnia
which, properly speaking, is a disease; in
fact. true insomnia is much rarer than is
supposed II you should lie awake all night
with a jumping toothaChc you wouldn I
consult a neurologist the next morning
you'd go to a dentist who'd cure your
sleeplessncss i'm a iiGy. Nov. heart dis
ease, artcriosclerosis thardcung Of the ar
tcrics), liver and kidney trouble. diabetes
and indigestion arc often as cffcctual slccT
destroyers as toothachc, so that, as I have
said. insomnia is frequently not caused by
brain disease, by worry or even by over
work.
Theoretically, the cure Of slccplcssness
IS very simple. a man can't sleep whcu
he's uncomfortable. Make him Comforta-
bic and he'll hc in the Land of Nod in no
time.
II tlle lDSOllllldt lldS llD OTSdlllC hlSNtio'
or any dull or acute pain, he is probably
very nervous. and he worries In that case
before you can hope to effect cure you
must quiet him. sometimes by the use OF
drugs, although in my own practice
avoid these whenever possible, and sou
must teach him not to worry, but TO dis
miss his cares after he goes to bed. II
isn't easy, but 1t can be done.
In the first place his bed must be com
Portable. the bed covering neither too lieh
nor too heavy, and the room airy. he
should not be ordered to sleep on his righ
side, but allowed TO assume any position
that is comfortable And, above ALL h
should be told not to try TO so to sleep
Trying TO sleep is potent cause of sleep
lessness, as it eXcites the brain by the
evaporation it arouses. When one doesn'
care a rap whether he sleeps or not th'
chances are hen sleep"