Treating Insomnia

Insomnia is a widespread American disease. It afflicts the best brains of thi country - lawyers, teachers and othe professionals and especially men o: affairs whose minds are overtaxed with a multitude of harassing, incessant busi ness details. It is caused by an undu distensión of the arteries supplying th red blood to the brain, resulting in un relieved pressure ou the nerve cells o the gray matter, eventuating in pro longed wakefulness during the night at a time when they should be allowec to remain quiescent and recupeuate the tissue wasted during the active hour of the day. Shakespeare poetically says " 'Tis sleep knits up the raveled sleeve of care. " This is also true scientifically and physiologically. It is capable o: beiug expauded into a whole treatise With the lightninglike glance of genius he saw into the very structure of nerve tissue, the cause of its wear and tear and the remedy. Dr. Samuel Johnson in nis pouderous dictionary deflned a "net" to be "an interwoven decussated tissue of mesties. " Eaoh cell in the brain has this oharacter. Magnified several bundrec diameters it would resem ble the network covering a small balloon. In the morning, after a refreshiug night's rest, each cell is expanded, alert with lite, and has the faiut pink glow of health. At evening, after a long day's work over some exhausting mental occupation, this cell is flaccid and collapsed, a portion of its substance gone, and it is unfit for further immediate work. A night's natural sleep repairs the waste, the life giving blood in gentle, regular pulsations flows by' and the proper element is taken out of each globule and incorporated into the structure of the nerve cell, so that on awakening it is again restored, alert and ready to receive and send out messages and do its proper work. Sleep bas knit together again the meshes raveled out by care. The action of 1,000,000 of these cells packed together in the brain, like Leyden jars in a battery, is analogous to electricity, but not at all identical with it. One has sometimes in the country noticed a lone forest lightning struck tree slowly deoaying as the seasons roll by in the alternations of rain and frost and wind. First the smalltwigs become brittle, break off and fall, then larger branches and limbs and finally the many thousand subdivisions are reduced to about three large stuiaps supported by the blasted trunk with the rotten bark clinging to it. As age creeps slowly ou the animal body the small ramifications of blood vesseJs in the face, forinstance, wither and die and then larger vessels, leaving pits calied "wrinklés. " The same thing happens in the interior of the brain, but this is invisible on the surface. Iustead of mauy fiDe subdivisions of arteries reachiug every part of the structure and thus irrigating it with the red life giving fluid these dry up, are absorbed and larger ones and fewer in number result. Into these tho blood has a tendency to pour at night during sleep, on slight provocation resulting in undue distensión and engorgement, and consequent wakefulness, thus producing the well known disease "insomnia, " which, if prolonged, results iu )rain wreek and insanity. Let the sufferer look to the health of his whole body by outdoor exercise, open air and regular diet, ameud and correct the general health or use tonic baths at the proper time of the day before retiring or on rising. Taking a slight repast before going to bed so as to draw a surplus of blood from the brain and elevating the head on pillows so as to allow gravitation to assist in draining the blood from the brain are good. Periodicity is of great assistance. Going to bed at exactly the same hour every night, the firm and strong belief in the fact that you will sleep at that hour, the diversion of the mind just before retiring by some light reading, amusement, work or exercise will help. Refuse, if possible, to discuss or dweil upon mouruful, irritating or unfortunate personal topics or afflictions. Should the sufferer suddenly awake in the night before the allotted hours f or repose have passed, his best plan is not to lie awake in bed in the dark staring vacantly. The oversensitive mind conjures many gloomy thoughts at this time in the deep, still darkness of the night, when all outside day sounds and noises have ceased their distraction. These cases can be successfully treated at home, and uot by drugs. Have a night table handy, light a candle, arise, throw off and air the bed clothes, sit up, with a convenient wrapper around you, in an easy chair, having first thrown open a door or window to completely change the vitiated air of the room. Of course one must have a chamber to himself o do this. All the couditions esternal being changed will tend to produce a change of those internal of the bodythe brain and the nerves. After a suit, able interval one can again close the doors and windows, replace covers and retire to approaching slumber. . inis was the nietbod of Benjamin Franklin, who had a laige, active braiu, filled with mnltitudinous private and public affairs, during a long and active life, and hefound it tosucceed. (See his autobiography. ) Different remedies will Buit different constitutious The same Will not do tor all alike. Each persou must study his own case, the moral and physical causes, remove these aud find out what will best soothe his exhausted nerves and induce peaceful repose.-