Etiology

Pain; poison circulating in the blood, such as occurs in Bright's disease, autotoxemia, intestinal toxins, mercurial mania, different forms of partial paralysis, nervousness, neurasthenia, The quickest and most successful cause is a belief in insomnia. The patient loses a little sleep, and at once decides that he is troubled with insomnia. He talks it, establishes it as a habit, and will continue to be troubled with insomnia until he is educated out of it. Such patients are usually more or less nervous from eating beyond their digestive capacity.

Acid stomach, from too much starch-eating or overeating, is a very common cause. Those who are troubled in this way show nervousness in their limbs. Nervous headaches are usually dependent upon an acid stomach.

Treatment

Where there is uremia as a cause, the kidneys must be looked after. Insomnia caused by alcoholics, tobacco, coffee, or tea ran be cured by prohibiting the use of these drugs. Where insanity or light forms of mania are the cause, such patients should receive hot baths, and given only a very little food of a non-stimulating character; in fact, they should be put to bed, and kept there until the nervous system has had time to right itself. It will do so faster without food than with food. Intestinal toxemia must be overcome through correcting the diet. Those with cerebral congestion, or cerebral anemia, must be controlled according to the affection. Those with hyperemia of the brain must be fasted until the blood pressure is reduced; then the eating should be of a character to prevent a return. Where there is cerebral anemia, the heart should be looked after; and whatever congestive derangement there is present must be righted. Hot baths should be given for all cases that are irritable, followed with a gentle rubbing. Whatever else is done, the patient's mind must be set at rest; for his anxiety about his physical condition must be overcome. In all cases where there is an overworked heart, the digestion must be corrected, and the patient must be kept quiet and away from social affairs as well as business, if these tax the nervous system to any great extent. Drugs are not necessary. These patients must be fasted until normal, then fed little until the strength has returned. Fruit at first three times a day; then fruit twice a day, with salad and cooked, non-starchy vegetables for one meal. Then meat every other day, with non-starchy vegetables and a salad; the alternate days, a decidedly starchy food in place of the meat, with cooked and raw vegetables.