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ON THE INCUBUS, OR NIGHT-MARE.




  J. M'Creery, Printer,
  Black Horse Court, London.




  A TREATISE ON THE INCUBUS,

  OR

  Night-Mare,
  DISTURBED SLEEP, TERRIFIC DREAMS,
  AND NOCTURNAL VISIONS.

  WITH THE MEANS OF REMOVING THESE
  DISTRESSING COMPLAINTS.


  BY JOHN WALLER,
  SURGEON OF THE ROYAL NAVY.


  LONDON:
  PRINTED FOR E. COX AND SON, ST. THOMAS'S STREET,
  BOROUGH.

  1816.




INTRODUCTION.


The enjoyment of comfortable and undisturbed sleep, is certainly to be
ranked amongst the greatest blessings which heaven has bestowed on
mankind; and it may be considered as one of the best criterions of a
person enjoying perfect health. On the contrary, any disturbance which
occurs in the enjoyment of this invaluable blessing, may be considered a
decisive proof of some derangement existing in the animal economy, and a
consequent deviation from the standard of health. Indeed it is astonishing
how slight a deviation from that standard may be perceived, by paying
attention to the circumstance of our sleep and dreams. This may be more
clearly demonstrated by attending carefully to the state of persons on the
approach of any epidemic fever or other epidemic disease, and indeed of
every kind of fever, as I have repeatedly witnessed; when no other signs
of a deviation from health could be perceived, the patient has complained
of disturbed rest and frightful dreams, with Night-Mare, &c. Hence the
dread which the vulgar, in all ages and countries, have had of what they
call _bad_ dreams; experience having proved to them, that persons,
pre