The philosophy of sleep / [Robert Macnish].

  • Robert Macnish
Date:
1834
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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

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    by the vehemence of our sensations; and the iris being dilated, shows as great, or greater sensi- bility than in our waking hours.” There are some persons to whom the objects of their dreams are always represented in a soft, mellow lustre, similar to twilight. They never seem to behold any thing in the broad glare of sunshine ; and, in general, the atmosphere of our vision is less brilliant than that through which we are accustomed to see things while awake. The most vivid dreams are certainly those which have reference to sight. With regard to hearing, they are less distinetly impressed upon the mind, and still more feebly as regards smell, or taste. Toda some authors are of opinion that we never eum of sounds, unless when a sound takes place to provoke the dream: and the same with regard to smell and taste; but this doctrine is against analogy, and fincumioned by proof. There are, beyond doubt, certain parts of the brain nich take cognizance of tastes, odors, and sounds, for the same reason that there are others which recognise forms, dimensions, and colors. As the organs of the three latter sensations are capable of inward excitement, without any com- munication, by means of the senses, with the external world, it is no more than analogical to infer that, with the three former, the same thing may take place. In fever, although the iid iad ual is ever so well protected against the excite- ment of external sounds, the internal organ is often
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