600 SLEEP. 



contends that all other secretions are lessened, the nasal, 

 bronchial, and intestinal. The nose is certainly not blown during 

 sleep ; but only because we do not perceive its charge of mucus : 

 on awaking, however, we find a handkerchief useful. In pulmonary 

 affections there may be no expectoration during the night, but 

 then a large quantity is discharged on waking. Diarrhoea may 

 not disturb a patient while asleep, but a copious evacuation is 

 common in this disease early in the morning. With the chaste 

 of either sex, genital emission is common during sleep. Jn the 

 morning the mouth is foul and the eyes gummy. But these 

 circumstances probably arise from the lessened amount of the 

 respective secretions from the lessened excitement, so that eva- 

 poration concentrates them. 



The circumstance of our resisting sleep as long as we can 

 keep our eyelids open, and falling asleep, when very sleepy, the 

 moment we allow the eyelids to drop, is very striking, but ex- 

 plicable on the continuance of voluntary effort in the former 

 case, and cessation of it in the latter. 



There is less resistance to the cooling power and morbid 

 effects of cold and injurious agents during sleep. Therefore persons 

 cover their heads before going to sleep; and, when habit has not 

 overcome the necessity for this, cold is continually caught from 

 fts neglect. A draught of air is far more dangerous in the 

 sleeping state ; and the back of the body appears less vigorous 

 than the front, as a draught at the back is much more dangerous 

 than in front. Agues are caught more readily if persons fall 

 asleep. 



In the healthy state, we awake refreshed with sleep, 



" Tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep." e 



The transition from the sleeping to the waking state may, like 

 the opposite, be sudden: but generally it is slow. d When sudden, 



c Young's Night Thoughts. 



d Milton exquisitely represents the slow approach of Adam's first sleep as 

 causing him to imagine his existence was departing : 

 " Pensive I sat me down : then gentle sleep 

 First found me, and with soft oppression seized 

 My drowsed sense, untroubled, though I thought 

 I then was passing to my former state 

 Insensible, and forthwith to dissolve." 



Parad. Lost, b. viii. 



