The philosophy of sleep / Robert Macnish.

  • Macnish, Robert, 1802-1837.
Date:
1836
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The philosophy of sleep / Robert Macnish. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    they lie down together under the sceptre of mid- night. From the position of man in society, toil or em- ployment of some kind or other is an almost neces- sary concomitant of his nature—being essential to healthy sleep, and consequently to the renovation of our bodily organs and mental faculties. But as no general rule can be laid down as to the quality and quantity of labour best adapted to particular temperaments, so neither can it be positively said how many hours of sleep are necessary for the animal frame. When the body is ina state of increase, as in the advance from infancy to boyhood, so much sleep is required, that the greater portion of exist- ence may be fairly stated to be absorbed in this way. It is not mere repose from action that is capable of recruiting the wasted powers, or restoring the nervous energy. Along with this is required that oblivion of feeling and imagination which is essential to, and which in a great measure constitutes, sleep. But if in mature years the body is adding to its bulk by the accumulation of adipose matter, a greater tendency to somnolency occurs than when the powers of the absorbents and exhalents are so balanced as to prevent such accession of bulk. It is during the complete equipoise of these animal