The philosophy of sleep / by Robert Macnish.

  • Macnish, Robert, 1802-1837.
Date:
1834
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    In restlessness, both the perspiration and urina- nary secretions are usually much increased; there is also an accession of heat in the system, and a general feverish tendency, unless the want of sleep should proceed from cold. With regard to the treatment of sleeplessness, a very few words will suffice: in fact, upon this head little more can be said, than a recommenda- tion to obviate the causes from whence it proceeds, and it will naturally disappear. I may mention, however, that when there is no specific disease, either of body or mind, to which the want of sleep can be imputed, the person should keep himself in as cheerful a mood as possible—should rise early, if his strength permits it, and take such ex- ercise as to fatigue himself moderately; and if all these means fail, that he ought to make use of opium. In all cases of restlessness, indeed, this medicine must be had recourse to, if the affection resists every other remedy, and continues so long as to endanger health. Those preparations of opium, the acetate and muriate of morphia, have latterly been a good deal used, and with excellent effect, for the same purpose. When neither opium nor its preparations agrees with the constitution, it becomes necessary to employ other narcotics, especially hyosciamus or hop. A pillow of hops sometimes succeeds in inducing sleep when other means fail. Such was the case with his late ma- jesty, George III., who, by this contrivance, was relieved from the protracted wakefulness under