Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1879 — The Necessity of Plenty of Sleep. [ARTICLE]

The Necessity of Plenty of Sleep.

A writer in Scribner for February, considering “ Tho Relations of Insanity to Modern Civilization,” speaks of the loss of sleep as a prominent cause of insanity. He says: During every moment of consciousness the brain is in activity. Tho peculiar process of cerebration, whatever that may consist of, is taking place; thought after thought comes forth, nor can wo help it. it is only when tho peculiar connection or chain of connection of one brain eell with another is broken and consciousness fades away into tho dreamless land of perfect sleep, that tho brain is at rest. In this state it recuperates its exhausted energy and power, and stores them up for future need. Tho period of wakefulness is one of constant wear, livery thought is gonerated at the expense of brain cells, which can be- fully replaced only by periods of properly regulated repose. If, therefore, these aro not socured by sleep, if tho brain, through over-stimulation, is not left to recuperate, its energy becomes exhausted; debility, disease and finally disintegration supervene. Hence tho story is almost always the same; for weeks and months before the indications of active insanity appear, the patient has been anxious, worried and wakeful, not sleeping more than four or five hours out of tho twenty-four. The poor brain, unable to do its constant work, begins to waver, to show signs of weakness or aberration; hallucinations or delusions hover around like floating shadows in the air, until finally disease and Against the mind, the which he pr.cks and wound* With many legions of strange fantasies, Which in their throng ana press to that last hold Confound themselves." —King Cake.—Three-quarters of a pound of butter, one and a quarter pounds of sugar, ope nutmeg, six eggs and cup milk; flour to make an ordinary batter, • _ —Jsspeaks for Itself, Is what s lady said of Dr. Bull’s Cough Syrjxp, the other day; for a single bottle cured my child of a most dreadful cough.