Sleep and Its Derangements

onderful, that they have from the earliest times excited the superstitious fe

oth of the vulgar and those accustomed to scientific investigation. In those times, when the marvelous exercised so powerful an influence over mankind, and when all phenomena out of the ordinary course of everyday life were regarded as supernatural, it was the prevailing belief that the somnambulist was possessed. Modern science has

leep, feels and acts most energetically, holding an anomalous species of communication with the external world, awake to objects of attention, and most profoundly torpid to things at the time indifferent; a condition resp

general description of the chief phenomena of the affection. It accords with the generally received

er consideration, Bertrand[110] classifies the different kin

oses individuals otherwise in good health to paro

rse of certain diseases, of which it m

he proceeding necessary to bring on th

ental exaltation. It is in this case contagious by imitat

years before the publication of Mr. Braid's remarkable researches, he was of course unacquainted with that form of artificial somnambulism now known as hypnotism, and wh

ep, and it is common for authors to speak of it as being necessarily connected with a dream. Thus, Macario[111] says it is a sleep in which the nervo-motor system and all the other organs are put in action under the influence o

e would change the word divin for adorable. He therefore effaced the first word, and wrote the second above it. He then perceived that the word ce properly placed before divin would not do before adorable; he therefore added a t to the preceding letters, so that the expression read cet adorable enfant. The same person, an eye-witness of these facts, in order to ascertain whether or not the somnambulist made use of his eyes, put a card under his chin in such a manner as to prevent his seeing the paper on the table; but he still continued to write. Wishing still to discover whether or not he distinguished different objects placed before him, the Archbishop took away the paper on which he wrote and substituted several other kinds at different times; but he always perceived the change because the pieces were of variou

ized it with one hand, while he continued to swim with the other, in order to regain the bank of the imaginary river. Finally, he placed the bundle in a place which he evidently determined to be dry land, and rose, shivering, with his teeth chattering as though he had emerged from icy water. He remarked to the by-standers that he was frozen, that he would die of cold, and that his blood was like ice. He then asked for a glass of brandy in

m which ran around the city. If he happened to awake from his sleep after having crossed this torrent, he was afraid to recross it so as to return home. Gassendi relates that when this man waked in the course of his perambulations he suddenly found himself in darkness, but as he had the faculty of r

he cases of Forari and Negretti, which are c

study of the abstract sciences. His attacks occurred at the waning of the moon, and were stronger in the aut

d. Signor Augustin then went in and out of several rooms, approached the fire, warmed himself in an arm-chair, and went thence into a closet where he had his wardrobe. He sought something in it, put all the things into disorder, and, having set them right again, locked the door and put the key into his pocket. He went to the door of the chamber, opened it and stepped out on the staircase. When he came below, one of us made a noise by accident; he appeared frightened, and hastened his steps. His servant desired us to move softly and not to speak, or he would become out of his mind; and sometimes he ran as if he were pursued, if the least noise was made by those standing around him. He then went into a large court and to the stable, stroked his horse, bridled it, and looked for the saddle to put on it. As he did not find it in the accustomed place, he appeared confused. He then mounted his horse and galloped to the house-door. He found this shut, dismounted and knocked with a stone, which he picked up, s

wo physicians, Righellini and Pigatti, who were both

yes were firmly closed during the paroxysm, and that when a candle was put near to them, he took no notice of it. Sometimes he struck himself against the wall and even hurt himself severely. Hence it would seem that he was directed in his movements by habit, and had no actual perception of external objects. This is confirmed by the assurance that if anybody pushed him, he got out of the way and moved his arms rapidly about on every side; and that when he was in a place of which he had no distinct knowledge, he felt with his hands all the objects about him, and displayed much inaccuracy in his proceedings; but in places to which he was accustomed he was under no confusion, but went through his business very cleverly. Pigatti shut a door through which he had just passed; he struck himself against it in returning. The writer last mentioned was confident that Negretti could not see. He sometimes carried about with him a candle, as if to give him light in his employment; but on a bottle being substituted, took it and carried it, fancying that it was a candle. He once said during his sleep t

he saw two unknown and frightful-looking men who advanced slowly toward his bed, and in menacing language ordered him to rise immediately and accompany them, threatening that if he refused they would return the following night and take him by force. This dream had so strong an effect

father's spirit disappeared, and his ferocious companions carried him high up into the air and then suddenly let him fall into a barrel. The servants returning with the cows, found the young man in the stable shut up in an empty barrel, scantily covered, and almost dead with cold and fright.

and imitated the gestures of the rabbis in the synagogues. While thus engaged his eyes were wide open, and the pupils insensible to the stimulus of light. Then his face became pale, he presented the appearance of weeping, his whole body was covered with a col

at the place where he had been interrupted. When awake he declared that he had no recollection of what had happened du

sed by other observers, or as its phenomena have impressed them. Th

head of his household. She had not been long in New York, before she became affected with symptoms resembling those met with in chorea. The muscles of the face were in almost constant action, and though she had not altogether lost the power to control them by her will, it was difficult at times for her to do so. She soon began to talk in her sleep, and finally wa

e night, therefore, I went to his residence and waited for the expected manifestations. The nurse had received orders not to interfere

her hands hanging loosely by her side. We stood aside to let her pass. Without noticing us, she descended the stairs to the parlor, we following her. Taking a match, which she had brought with her from her own room, she rubbed it several times on the under side of the marble mantle-piece until it caught fire, and then, turn

nly in close proximity to them; the muscles of the face, which when she was awake were almost constantly in action, were now

stacle were interposed. I then made several motions as if about to strike her in the face. She made no attempt to ward off the blows, nor did she give the slightest sign that she saw my actio

us acid gas which escaped. She gave no evidence of feeling any irritation. Cologne and other per

d to perceive the sour taste. Another piece of bread, saturated with a solution of quinine, was equally inef

hands, sobbed, and wept violently. While she was acting in this way, I struck two books tog

in which she had previously been sitting. She made no resi

pin, pulling her hair, and pinching her

e drew them away, but no laughter was produced. As often as this experiment

ad between my hands and shook it. This proved effectual in a little while. She awoke suddenly, looked around her for an instant, as if endeavoring to comprehend her situation,

up in his sleep, dressed himself, and walked a distance of over a mile to his store. He was aroused by the private watchman, who s

lked in her sleep, but had never any recollection of what she did while in the somnambulic state. Her mother stated that when her daughter

the affection. This is doubtless due to the fact that somnambulists differ among themselves as regards the use they make of thei

f was handed to him, he took a pinch without hesitation; and the young ecclesias

somnambulists have been known to write and even to correct their compositions, and to do other acts which could not possibly have been performed without sight. While it is certainly true that somnambulists have done all these things, it is equally certain that they have often performed them without the aid of their eyes. In the case of Castelli, a candl

re darkness. On one occasion she went into a dark closet, and, opening a trunk, began to arrange the contents. It contained clothing of various kinds, which had been put into it the day before without being s

ism and to write in complete darkness. A remarkable feature of this instance was, that if the least light, even

experiments, I have related, the sense of sight was certainly not

d their other organs of sense in the ordinary way, when the excitations made upon

n reference to

s open. This phenomenon occurs often to individuals who are fully awake, although in a less degree. Thus when we are strongly preoccupied with any subject, the objects which surround us make no impression on our senses or our mind. Archimedes while meditating on a discovery, was an entire st

ns; but such answers have been given automatically, and not as if the mind took cognizance of the subject. A person intently engaged in reading, will often a

, though in a few cases it has been manifested. The same

exalted. Though the eyes do not see, the ears hear, the tongue taste, or the nose smell, the somnambulist has one sense

additional evidence. I propose this view not without hesitation; but much study of the phenomena of somnambulism, and of analogous states of the nervous system, has certainly te

ofound sleep the action of the encephalic ganglia is so materially lessened th

lish this proposition; but, for the purpose of giving as complete and connected a view as possible of all the points which bear upon the theory of somnambulism above enu

mpression upon his brain, and he turns over the leaf whenever he reaches the bottom of a page with as much regularity as though he comprehended every word he has read. He sudde

ing circumstance, we turn the right corners and find ourselves where we intended to

erintendence of the actions of the body. The spinal cord has received the several sensorial impressions, and has furnished the nervous force necessary to the pe

nce of the events which are transpiring around. An individual, for instance, is engaged in solving an abstruse mathematical problem. The whole power of the brain is taken up in thi

ought, but are essentially automatic, and made in obedience to sensorial impressions which are not perceived by the brain. Thus a person in a state of reverie will answer questions, obey commands involving a good deal of muscular action, and perform other complex acts, without disturbing the connecti

cord. Here the mind is engaged with ideas, and the spinal cord directs the manipulations necessary to the proper rendering of the musical composition. A person who is not proficient in the use of

with great skill and care, though she was observed to be agitated and preoccupied. When she had finished, she burst into tears. She had been intently watching the death-struggles of a fav

f the one and the thought of the other will be found to alternate by any one who feels inclined to make the experiment, and not to exist at the same time. Neither

l cord, we have the higher order of somnambulic phenomena produced, such as walking and the performance of complex and apparently systematic movements; if the sleep of the brain be somewhat less profound, and the spinal cord less excitable, the somnambulic manifestations do not extend beyond sleep-talking; a still

nal cord as a center of intellection and volition has been unwarrantably ignored. It is of course not a matter for doubt that the faculty of consciousness is latent in the spinal cord so long as the brain is in a state of activity, and that the faculty of memory

re extensive is probably due to the fact that all the organs of the senses, except that of touch, have been removed with the brain. In persons engaged in intense thought and performing actions not in accordance therewith, the impr

somnambulism, owes its activity to the spinal cord; but in most cases of the state in question, the brain is so profoundly asleep that it does not even transmit i

sensorial impressions, and the brain is even more incapable than in natural somnambulism of asserting its superiori

g persons are more subject than those of maturer age, and there are few children who do not exhibit at some time or other manifestations of the condition in question, such as muttering and talking in their sleep, laughing, crying, or getting out of

nsists in means adapted to break up the habit. This may be done by waking the patient before the expected paroxysm, or by placing a tub of cold water so that the feet will be

, forty years of age, who became somnambulic from mental excitement, due to the extensive business operations in which he was engaged. Large doses of this remedy-forty to sixty grains taken at bedtime, and smaller doses, ten to thirty grains, taken twice through the day-broke up the habit entirely in a f

ting fictions, and the witnessing of sensational theatrical exhibition