SENSE OF TOUCH. 395 



of the testicle, for example, may be occasioned by irritation having its seat 

 in the lower part of the spine, the organ itself being perfectly sound ; yet if 

 that pain continue, it may become diseased. The following are some very 

 interesting remarks on this subject, from the able pen of Dr. Holland.* 

 " There is cause to believe the action of the heart to be quickened or other- 

 wise disturbed, by the mere centering of consciousness upon it, without any 

 emotion or anxiety." This is especially the case where its impulses are 

 irregular, or are so- loud as to be audible. "The same may be said of the 

 parts concerned in respiration. If this act be expressly made the subject of 

 consciousness, it will be felt to undergo some change; generally to be retarded 

 at first, and afterwards quickened." " The act of swallowing is manifestly 

 rendered more difficult, by the attention being fixed upon it ; and the same 

 cause will often be found to render articulation less distinct, especially when 

 there exists already some impediment to the function. A similar direction of 

 consciousness to the region of the stomach, creates in this part a sense of 

 weight, oppression, or other less definite uneasiness ; and, when the stomach 

 is full, appears greatly to disturb the due digestion of the food. The state 

 and action of the bowels are much influenced by the same cause." A pecu- 

 liar sense of weight and restlessness approaching to cramp, is felt in a limb, 

 to which the attention is particularly directed. " The attention concentrated, 

 for so by an effort of will it may be, on the head or sensorium, gives certain 

 feelings of tension and uneasiness, caused possibly by some change in the 

 circulation of the part ; though it may be an effect, however difficult to be 

 conceived, on the nervous system itself. Persistence in this effort, which is 

 seldom indeed possible beyond a short time without confusion, produces results 

 of much more complex nature, and scarcely to be defined by any common terms 

 of language." These phenomena have an evident affinity, on the one hand, 

 with the exaltation of external or objective sensations, to which the attention 

 is peculiarly directed ; and on the other with those of several morbid condi- 

 tions. The explanation of them all is probably to be sought in some change 

 in the circulation of the part, to which the sensation is referred. Thus the 

 hypochondriac patient, "in fixing his consciousness with morbid intentness on 

 certain organs, creates not merely disordered sensations, but often also disor- 

 dered actions in them. There may be palpitation of the heart, hurried or 

 choked respiration, flatulence and other distress of stomach, irritation of the 

 bladder ; all arising from this morbid direction of attention to the organs in 

 question." In hysteria, again, " the instances are frequent, of attacks brought 

 on by the mere expectation of them ; or by irritation ; or occasionally even a 

 sort of morbid solicitation of the organs to these singular actions." These 

 facts go a long way to explain the phenomena of Mesmerism, many of which 

 are obviously to be referred to the exaggerated operation of the same principle. 

 (See Appendix.) We now proceed to consider in more detail the functions of 

 the several Organs of the Senses, and shall commence with that of the most 

 general character. 



2. Sense of Touch. 



522. By the sense of Touch, as commonly understood, is meant that mo- 

 dification of the common sensibility of the body, of which the Cutaneous sur- 

 face is the especial seat. It derives its peculiar power simply from the large 

 amount of sensory nervous fibres, which are distributed in its substance; and 

 especially through the terminations (or rather the origins) of these in the pa- 

 pillae, which are little elevations of the surface of the cutis, easily perceptible 



* Medical Notes and Reflections, Chap. v. 



