A Gentleman, about forty-five years old, of a corpulent phlegmatic
habit of Body, and an inactive disposition of Mind, complain’d of a
vast oppression which he felt in his sleep; upon which he consulted a
Physician, who prescrib’d both bleeding and purging, to be repeated
as often as it return’d. This prescription was follow’d with success
at first, but it became so often necessary, that the patient was not
able to bear such evacuations. He therefore was obliged to sleep in a
chair all night, to avoid the Night-mare. But one night he ventur’d to
bed, and was found half dead in the morning. He continued paralytic
two years; and after taking the round of Bath and Bristol, &c. to no
purpose, he died an Idiot.
“—D. Abraham Schonnichel, who was a Captain of horse in the Emperor’s
army, and being fond of drink, was afflicted with the Night-mare as
often as he lay on his Back, after taking many medicines it became
less frequent. But when, on account of his intemperance, it return’d,
I order’d his Chamberlain to rouse him whenever he heard him groan, in
sleep; by which means, the fits were shorten’d, but about two years
after he died of an Epilepsy[36].”
Cœlus Aurelianus says[37], that this disease was epidemic and kill’d
many at Rome.
As the Romans took little breakfast or dinner, but made supper their
principal meal, ’tis probable, that they were very subject to the
Night-mare, especially during the Saturnalia, when they held all their
repotia or drinking-matches, and indulged themselves in all kinds of
intemperance at night.
Galen says, “That the Night-mare is a kind of an Epilepsy, which
happens in sleep; and that if it continues long, it will turn to a real
Epilepsy[38].”
“An accidental Night-mare is not dangerous; but if it be habitual,
it threatens an Epilepsy, Apoplexy, or Melancholy, especially if the
Person be subject to a Vertigo in the day-time. If it attacks one
between sleeping and waking, it denotes the Epilepsy to be very near;
but it is remarkably dangerous, when a cold Sweat, a palpitation of the
Heart, a Spasm, or a Fainting fit, succeed it[39].”
“Hoffman mentions the Night-mare among the Symptoms of an Apoplexy,
that was cur’d by an over-dose of Camphire[40].”
From these concurring authorities, and the instances that have been
given, we have sufficient reason to believe, that the above Diseases
often succeed frequent fits of the Night-mare. It is highly probable,
that the stagnation of the Blood (which occasions it) in the Pulmonary
Veins, right Ventricle, Vena Cava, and the Sinuses of the Brain, may
form obstinate obstructions, and leave the rudiments of Polypi in
these parts; which may afterwards produce fatal effects. From the
situation of the lateral Sinuses, it appears, that in a supine position
of the Body, the Blood must move out of them, contrary to its own
gravity. Hence, by their turgescence, the Cerebellum may be compress’d,
and the animal functions impeded. It was probably to prevent this
pressure on the Cerebellum, and to promote the return of the Blood from
the Head, that Nature has plac’d these reservoirs in the upper part of
the Heads of Quadrupeds.
“If this disorder grows more severe, there is danger of being
suffocated in the very fit, and of its producing an Apoplexy or some
terrible disorder of the Head, either by pouring Blood into the
Ventricles, or substance of the Brain, or by obstructing the Carotid
Arteries, or Choroid Plexus: therefore such Diseases are to be
prevented by proper methods[41].”
Does not this disease kill many who go to bed in perfect health, and
are found dead in the morning? Does not the Night-mare carry many
drunkards out of this world? Is it not a species of an Apoplexy? Is it
not the final cure of all chronic Diseases?