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Show . t BLBEP-WALKINO. tamethtns: Atmal ThU Ijoaer nd Ian-Sroo Ian-Sroo Habit. Sleep-wslklng, or somnambulism, Is neither so common nor so entertaining enter-taining n habit as readers of a certain cer-tain kind of atorlet might bo Induced to believe. It It, at n lltllo reflection will convince us, a habit, or wo might even say a milady, which exposes Its victim to great peril. Tbo somnambulist somnam-bulist Is In a condition very simitar to that of a hypnotised or mesmerised person. Tho action of tho mind la greatly restricted, In that the reason-ng reason-ng faculty la almost completely in abeyance, and eter)thtng tbo person does la purely automatic and performed perform-ed under tho Influence of a slngto Idea. Ilut tho very fact that tho mtnd, crippled na lis powers are, acts solely In ono direction and Is not distracted by extcrnnl Impressions, makes tbo person's actions more certain than they would be In a waking state. Thus a somnambulist may walk along tho 'edgo of a roof with perfect steadiness, vrhllo. If nwake, bo would certainly turn dlxiy and fall. So, too, In a totally tot-ally dark room, tho elccp-walkcr will often move about without stumbling against chairs or tablet, or will seat himself at a desk or stand holding many objects without upsetting one. Although we do not know with certainty cer-tainty tho condition ot tho brain In somnambulism, obaervatlon has taught us to recognise many of tho causes that Induce It, nnd ao to control tho habit In great meaauro. Thcso causes may bo mental, audi aa worry, brooding brood-ing over one Idea, and hard study, especially es-pecially lato at night, or physical, such as lata suppera, lnsuinclcnt exercise, exer-cise, and sleeping with tbo head too low. Moat ttcep-walkert aro either pt a nervous constitution, or havo ro celved some severo shock, great grief or Immoderate Joy, which hat temporarily tempor-arily disturbed their ncrvout equilibrium. equilib-rium. Tho young of both texet are moat Subject to elal-w.Uln. and when the habit la formed In youth it 1 uaually outgrown In a few years. Tho conllrmed somnambulist should avoid all tho mental and physical causca abovo mentioned. Tho bed-clothing bed-clothing should be light, tho sleeping room of good slio and well-venlllaled. Much time should bo pasted In tho open air, and over-application to studies mutt bo carefully avoided. In obstinate cases tho patient Should not bo left alono at night, and doors and windows ahould be aecurely fastened. It he Is discovered out of bed ho ahould be gently gullied back, and should not be awakened until onco more lying down. Youth's Companion, |