ABOLISHING SLEEP.

Northern Advocate, 28 June 1924, Page 9 (Supplement)

ABOLISHING SLEEP.

ELECTRIC CURRENT SCHEME

Two medical mes hr.ve lot it be known that they are collaborating in an sttempt to abolish sleep. The idea is not new, the "Daily Telegraph" observes. Macbeth some time ago heard a voice cry, no ' m<~re! Macbeth does murder sleep." The modern methods are, however, less violent than his. The two doctors have found reason to hope that the application of "a direct electric current" to the braincells of a man who is fee) : ng sleepy will make him wake up. The human brain, they say, is to be considered as a stirage battery; while it can supply electric energy to the rest of the organism we develop our norrnal horse-power without feeling sleepy. When its electricity is exhausted we feel tired. Therefore, all that is needed to abolish the necessity for sleep is to recharge the battery of the brain. THs process, it i 3 believed, can be eomr.leted in a quarter of an hour. So the happy men of to-morrow will not go to bed of nights, they will .'neiely sit dowsi, apply "a direct electric current" to their brain-cells, and "start another day's work." In the interests of pvblie order we have concealed the names of the doctors who propose this future for humanity. But there seems to be no doubt that they sincerely believe themselves to be working- for our good, and expect our gratitude. Such an electrified existence as they offer us would, we arc assured, add "seventeen waking years" to the duration of life of the avenge man. It "is hardly worth while to point out that no one can tell how long a nightly electrified brain would be o/ any use to the owner. The average man would rather live the life of Mr Wardle's Fat Boy than ;uch a one as this. '#* * *