San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-01

Lulled away TO Morpheus by thai
favorite, old nursery lullaby Of
childhood days, Go tell Aunt Sally
that the old gray goose is dead
the one she's been saving to max,
a feather bed we early learned
some of the innermost secrets in
voiced in the manufacture Of what
was then the feather bed, but
which. in these later days. has
evolved into what is now termed q
mattress. Strange as it may seem
this word mattress" is of Arabic
origination. In Arabian, mattress
signifies a tufted cushion. We still
recognize this Arabic form in oui
English word, "maellasse," the popu.
lar, tufted dress material which is SO
much in vogue today.
Historians failed to record the
type of mattress Adam used. but
we are inclined to believe that it
was only h soft, resilient mound of
dried leaves. Later, in human pro-
gression. when man learned the
construction of weapons for the
purpose of defense and for the pur-
rose of providing material for
bodily sustenance, we find him
sleeping upon the skins of his ami
NAL kills. the soft furry covering
Of the animal acting as an inter
mediary softness between himself
and the ground. The Latins intro
duced the "culcita" or cushion as a
stage in the DEVELOPMENT Of the
modern mattress. These cushions
we're kept in a corner OF the room.
MI
upon a cushion. the remainder Of
the body resting upon the floor.
This method Of sleeping served
the people very well for some time.
until we find n few progress sives
placing the cushions on seats of
wood, which wlra built in on the
sides OF the room. These were seats
during the day, and beds at night.
Gradually it was discovered that if
the entire wooden scTt was covered
with these cushions. resting became
easier: thus the stationary forni
Of the first bed was developed. The
Egyptians were tie first to build
beds which were not permanently
attached to the wall or floor. With
this innovation. the structural! o.
frame composition OF the bed b.,
came question If moment, while
oDIy minor consi :.fation was given
TO the comfort affofding properties
OF this novel addition 10 the house
lo'd furnishings.
Entire Family in One Bed
1t vas not Until the Fourte sntl
century that beds mad flexible bot
toms. This caused an increase in
bodily comfort and the bed took
on a new aspect. becoming the most
important article Of home equip
ment. In comparison with our
modern mattress of twin-bed size.
the mattress or feather bed % this
age was colossal the single bed
OF this period accommodated the
entire family and tie servants. as
many as sixteen people occupying
one bed. The mattress first came
INTO universal use as a protective
padding between the soft feather
tick and spiral springs of the bed.
Today II serves the duofolJ pur-
pose OF feather tick and padding OF
other days. This has been brought
about through the high degree of
perfection attained by specialists in
mattress manufacture. :.
otatlstlclans tel us that we
spend one-third of our lifetime in
sleep. II this be so. then it seems
plausible that at least some frag-
mentary portion of the other two.
thirds of this earthly existence
should be expended in acquiring "a
knowledge OF what will offer the
greatest enjoyment and render the
grentcst benefit TO man in his peri
odic hours Of rcpose. Someone has
said that II is not necessary 10
travel TO seek the rest cure. And