THH XKRVurs SYSTKM AM) ITS < '( >.\SKl;V ATM >.\ 



are very likely to be augmented by reflex influences from 

 a disordered alimentary canal. Irregularities of the 

 heart -beats are likely to he noticed and there are unea-y 

 sensations of ahnornial mohility ahout the heart, feelings 

 "as though it turned over," etc. The acceleration during 

 mu-cular activity may seem greater than it should be 

 and the victim may become fearful of local organic defect-. 

 Along with the cardiac mishehavior there will probably be 

 vasomotor instability. It is the duty of the vasoinotor 

 system to maintain a proper and nearly steady arterial 

 pressure. Failure to do this may result in feelings of 

 faint ness and vertigo, perhaps, at other times, in head- 

 ache. 



To the perverted action of the vasomotor system we may 

 ascribe the exaggerated judgments of warmth and cold 

 already mentioned. If the nervous mechanism is in such 

 a "hair-trigger" condition that a slight rise of the external 

 temperature causes an intense flushing of the skin, while a 

 slight depression renders it anemic, these impressions are 

 to he expected. It is to he remembered that the tempera- 

 ture which we feel is that of the skin and not that of the air. 

 The waxing' and waning of the cutaneous blood-flow will 

 have as much to do with the sensation as the state of flu 1 

 air outside. In the neurasthenic the vasomotor changes 

 which accompany emotion are excessive. Extraordinary 

 outbreaks of perspirat ion are frequent. 



The symptom^ arising from the functional derangement 

 of the alimentary canal are of especial importance. It 

 was stated in an earlier chapter that thi> essential sy>tem 

 ha- such a degree of automaticity thai in many cases it 

 might work better with no intercourse with the brain and 

 cord than it is actually observed to do. Foster speaks of 

 the improvement of dige-tive capacity often noted in the 

 aged. As the nerve-centers become less dominant the 

 stomach and intestine do their duty in a more reliable 

 manner than they did under more constant regulation, 

 and the former dyspeptic "eats with the courage and 

 success of a boy." In view of such facts we can under- 



