Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 January 1891 — Sleep. [ARTICLE]

Sleep.

Wliat sleep is no one knows. The prevailing theory as to its nature is that of the physiologist, Preyer, who »holds that refuse matter accumulates in the nervous centers in such quantities as to bring about insensility, which continues until the brain has been relieved of the waste matter by its absorption into the circulation. Whatever feats of endurance men may accomplish they cannot live long without sleeping. L T nder every condition of bodilv and mental suffering, men sleep. Those condemned to die, although thev fear their fate, generally sleep the night before execution. Soldiers havAbeen known to sleep, when on a long and wearisome march, while walking in the ranks, ol lying on a bed of stones, or in the mud and water. The question is often asked, “How long can a man live without sleep?” The victim of the Chinese “waking torture” seldom survives more than ten days. Those condemned to die bv the waking torture are given all they wish to eat and drink, but sleep is denied them. Whenever the poor victim closes his eyes he is jabbed with spears and sharp sticks until he is awake. There is no torture more horrible. Painting, of all the fine arts, is most ease’ly acquired.