DREAMS—II.

Otago Witness, Issue 3774, 13 July 1926, Page 77

DREAMS—II.

By Colonel Arthur Lynch. (Fob thb Witness.) XXIV. There is another manner, quite distinct from that of the old Hebrew prophets, of seeking tjhe meaning of dreams. Psychologists and physicians nowadays do not accept the old mystical interpretations, but if they be wise they do not despise the indications offered to them of the special physical conditions related to the dream. For example, Captain Mayne Reid, the author of some delightful stories of Mexican life, and the perils of Indian warfare, dreamea one night that he was scalped. He woke up in dread, and found that though safe and sound, he had a boil on the top of his head. This had caused some pain, and as in dreams the degree of pain is often greatly exaggerated and the course of the associations of ideas i.j uncontrolled, one links an actual pain with a series of thoughts which have already greatly preoccupied the mind. That instance may cause us to ask whether every dream is closely related to some particular physical state, and moreover, whether if our notions of physiology and of psychology were only clear enough, we could trace out the sequence represented by our dreams and in part refer the mental to the physical condition. That is the proper scientific manner in which to handle the subject, and many students working along these lines have added something to our knowledge. In the first place the question of the physiological condition in normal sleep becomes of interest. Albrech von Haller, who was the pioneer of the scientific study of this subject, came to the conclusion that during sleep there was a condition of engorgement, but all other investigators who have examined .the matter have found the contrary. Towards the end of the eighteenth century Blumenbach had a good opportunity of observation in the case of a young man* who had fractured his skull in such a way that the brain was exposed; he found anaemia of the brain during sleep. Some 60 years later this observation was confirmed as the result of a series of experiments by the physiologist Donders, and since his time there has been a considerable amount ot work, all tending to the like conclusion. Now, when we wish to sleep we choose a darkened room, we cover our body to secure warmth, we close our eyes! It ia. probable also that the hearing apparatus is also thrown out of gear by the action of a little muscle acting on a set of ossicles, or minute bones, which are attached to the drums of the ear. In sleep the breathing becomes regular and slow, and the mouth is—or should be —shut. Now, the effect of all these arrangements is to prevent stimulation of the brain from outside, for the usual channels of approach through the organs of sense are, as we have seen, rendered unavailable. If, therefore, the brain begins to work it is because of stimulation arising from seme not quite normal cause in the body itself; the process is in a sense “subjective.” One frequent cause of distressing dreams of children is the presence of adenoids or of enlarged tonsils. The breathing becomes difficult, and at any moment through a temporary stoppage, this may give rise to a feeling of falling from a height, or of being choked by a giant. The child wakes up with “night terrors.” If there be a “favourite dream” of an oppressive or otherwise distressing character, then some one of the bodily functions is suffering from a chronic trouble which should be removed. Indigestion is a frequqent cause of disagreeable dreams, and undue stimu: lation of the nervous system is another, while various forms of heart disease have their special mental symptoms. This view certainly brings our dreams to a lower level than some of us had hoped for; or it may be that it raises our science to the height of dreams.