-
Articles/Ads
Article ACCOUNT OF A REMARKABLE SLEEP-WALKER. ← Page 2 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Account Of A Remarkable Sleep-Walker.
jects that struck him while awake , with as much force as if they really affected his senses ; but does not make him perceive any of those that are actually presented to his senses , except in so far as they are connected with the dreams which engross him- at the time . If , during this state , the imagination has no determined purpose , he receives the impression of objects as if he were awake ; only , however , when the imagination is excited to bend its attention towards them .
The perceptions obtained in this state are very accurate , and , when once received , the imagination renews them occasional ^' ' with as much force as if they were again acquired by means of the senses . Lastly , these academicians suppose , that the impressions received during this state of the senses , disappear entirely when the person awakes , and do not return till the return of the same disposition in the nervous system .
Their remarks were made on the Sieur Devaud , a lad thirteen years and a half old , who lives in the town of Vevey , and who is subject to that singular affection or disease , called Somnambulism , or Sfeep-walking . This lad possesses a strong and robust constitution , but his nervous system appears to be organized with peculiar delicacy , and to discover marks of the greatest sensibility and irritability . His senses of smelltasteand touchare exquisite ; he is subject to
, , , fits of immoderate and involuntary laughter , and he sometimes like- ? wise weeps without an apparent cause . This young man does not walk in his sleep every night ; several weeks sometimes pass without any appearance of a fit . He is subject to the disease generally two nights successivety , one fit lasting for several hours . The longest are from three to four hours , and they commonly begin about three
or four o ' clock in the morning . The fit may be prolonged , by gently passing the finger or a fea ^ ther over his upper lip , and this slig ht irritation likewise accelerates it . Having once fallen asleep upon a stair-case , his upper lip was thus irritated with a feather , when he immediately ran down the steps with great precipitation , and resumed all his accustomed activitj ' . This experiment was repeated several times .
The young Devaud thinks he has observed that , on the evenings previous to a fit , he is sensible cf a certain heaviness in his head , but especialty of a great weight in his e 3 'e-lids . His sleep is at all times unquiet , but particularly when the fits are about to seize him . During his sleep motions are observable in every part of his body , with starting and palpitations ; he utters broken words , sometimes sits up in his bed , and afterwards lies down again .
He then begins to pronounce words more distinctly , he rises abruptly , and acts as he is instigated by the dream that then possesses him . He is sometimes , in sleep , subject to continued and involuntary motions . The departure of the fit is alwaj's preceded by two or three minutes of calm sleep , during which he snores . He then awakes , rubbing his eyes like a person who has ' slept quietly . It is dangerous to awaken him during the fit , especially if it be done suddenly ; for then he sometimes falls into convulsions . Haviag"
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Account Of A Remarkable Sleep-Walker.
jects that struck him while awake , with as much force as if they really affected his senses ; but does not make him perceive any of those that are actually presented to his senses , except in so far as they are connected with the dreams which engross him- at the time . If , during this state , the imagination has no determined purpose , he receives the impression of objects as if he were awake ; only , however , when the imagination is excited to bend its attention towards them .
The perceptions obtained in this state are very accurate , and , when once received , the imagination renews them occasional ^' ' with as much force as if they were again acquired by means of the senses . Lastly , these academicians suppose , that the impressions received during this state of the senses , disappear entirely when the person awakes , and do not return till the return of the same disposition in the nervous system .
Their remarks were made on the Sieur Devaud , a lad thirteen years and a half old , who lives in the town of Vevey , and who is subject to that singular affection or disease , called Somnambulism , or Sfeep-walking . This lad possesses a strong and robust constitution , but his nervous system appears to be organized with peculiar delicacy , and to discover marks of the greatest sensibility and irritability . His senses of smelltasteand touchare exquisite ; he is subject to
, , , fits of immoderate and involuntary laughter , and he sometimes like- ? wise weeps without an apparent cause . This young man does not walk in his sleep every night ; several weeks sometimes pass without any appearance of a fit . He is subject to the disease generally two nights successivety , one fit lasting for several hours . The longest are from three to four hours , and they commonly begin about three
or four o ' clock in the morning . The fit may be prolonged , by gently passing the finger or a fea ^ ther over his upper lip , and this slig ht irritation likewise accelerates it . Having once fallen asleep upon a stair-case , his upper lip was thus irritated with a feather , when he immediately ran down the steps with great precipitation , and resumed all his accustomed activitj ' . This experiment was repeated several times .
The young Devaud thinks he has observed that , on the evenings previous to a fit , he is sensible cf a certain heaviness in his head , but especialty of a great weight in his e 3 'e-lids . His sleep is at all times unquiet , but particularly when the fits are about to seize him . During his sleep motions are observable in every part of his body , with starting and palpitations ; he utters broken words , sometimes sits up in his bed , and afterwards lies down again .
He then begins to pronounce words more distinctly , he rises abruptly , and acts as he is instigated by the dream that then possesses him . He is sometimes , in sleep , subject to continued and involuntary motions . The departure of the fit is alwaj's preceded by two or three minutes of calm sleep , during which he snores . He then awakes , rubbing his eyes like a person who has ' slept quietly . It is dangerous to awaken him during the fit , especially if it be done suddenly ; for then he sometimes falls into convulsions . Haviag"