"It came to pass, not long after the scene above recorded, that the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale, noon-day, and entirely UNAWARES, fell into a DEEP, DEEP slumber, sitting in his chair, with a large black-letter volume open before him on the table.
It must have been a work of vast ability in the somniferous school of literature."
The medicines prescribed seem to be a little aggressive on the priest, and something in H.'s words gives us the sensation that R.C. was trying to make his patient deeply asleep, to find something hidden in HIS bosom.. as we'll see in the following paragraph. He actually achieved his goal.
Yes - this is a valid interpretation. Chillingsworth might be taking things into his own hands and the medication might be doing extra work.
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