Observations on the mortality and physical management of children / [John Roberton].

  • John Roberton
Date:
1827
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the mortality and physical management of children / [John Roberton]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    SECTION VIII. SLEEP. Take from man hope and sleep, says Kant, and you will make him the most wretched being upon earth. One is ready to imagine that either of these singly would produce such an effect. But the deprivation of sleep brings with it other consequences than mental wretch- edness : it ends in delirium and death. Some who possess great patience and vigour of mind, do with little sleep; but that little is essential. This peculiarity is most observable in middle age, and probably more in females than males. The endurance of some mothers in this respect is wonderful. We may see them for several successive weeks watch a sick child without perceptible repose; the intense occupation of the mind appearing to render it unnecessary. If there is hope of recovery, this, we may naturally suppose, is the best stimulus to wakefulness; but when there is no hope—when all that can be done is to soothe those sufferings, for which there is no opiate like a mother's lips and hands
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