'Atltoniü Álzate, i, 33 



Dreams. 



These vai'y both in essence and degree according to the 

 state o£ the dreamer's oirculation. Some' hygienic exercise or 

 tbe repetition o£ a lesson may probably cause certain neurons 

 to go 011 moving duriiig sleep. But when tlioy have worked 

 too actively h\ the course o£ tlie day tbey are Hable to be ut- 

 terly draii>ed and exhausted wlien night comes, and wlien such 

 is the case there may be dreaming o£ the facts that bi'ought 

 their fatigue about. An assiduous exei-cise o£ the neurons 

 may facilítate their continuous development and action (e. g. 

 in th^ student dreaming about his examinations again and 

 again). Contrariwise, the absence of new impressions, ot a li- 

 mited exercise during the day will al lo v? the uniform rest of 

 all the neurons and a thorough absence o£ nightmare ( hus- 

 bandmen ). 



Fixed ideas lead to madness, perhaps on aecount o£ au 

 atrophy of the inactive parts, some limited congestions, hy- 

 pertrophies, etc. This is no business o£ mine, but I must sta- 

 te that the possibility o£ the functions of some cerebral cen- 

 tres being accomplished independently is, made manifest du- 

 ring sleep. This means that certain neurons become associated 

 in an abnormal way, extendiug themselves too much, and that 

 diseases of mind, disordered neuroplasmic vibrations, are not 

 inhibited by the more powerful vibrations of souuíl judgmenfc, 

 this being then peacefully slumbering. 



Causes of Sleep. 



Theoriesouthissubjectsareby no means wanting, but they 

 concern man only; they are not capable of general application, 

 and leave the innermost mechanism of the phenomena unex- 

 plained. I admit, i£ necessary, the action of poisons and that of 



Memorias [1899-1900], T. XIV.— 5. 



