142 'DESCENT OF MAN' — EXPRESSION. [1871. 



C. Darwin to W. Ogle. 



Down, March 25 [1871]. 



My DEAR Dr. Ogle, — You will think me a horrid bore, 

 but I beg you, in relation to a new point for observation, to 

 imagine as well as you can that you suddenly come across 

 some dreadful object, and act with a sudden little start, a 

 shudder of horror ; please do this once or twice, and observe 

 yourself as well as you can, and afterwards read the rest of 

 this note, which I have consequently pinned down. I find, to 

 my surprise, whenever I act thus my platysma contracts. Does 

 yours ? (N.B. — See what a man will do for science ; I began 

 this note with a horrid fib, namely, that I want you to attend 

 to a new point.*) I will try and get some persons thus to act 

 who are so lucky as not to know that they even possess this 

 muscle, so troublesome for any one making out about expres- 

 sion. Is a shudder akin to the rigor or shivering before 

 fever? If so, perhaps the platysma could be observed in 

 such cases. Paget told me that he had attended much to 

 shivering, and had written in MS. on the subject, and been 

 much perplexed about it. He mentioned that passing a 

 catheter often causes shivering. Perhaps I will write to him 

 about the platysma. He is always most kind in aiding me in 

 all ways, but he is so overworked that it hurts my conscience 

 to trouble him, for I have a conscience, little as you have 

 reason to think so. Help me if you can, and forgive me. 

 Your murderer case has come in splendidly as the acme 

 of prostration from fear. 



Yours very sincerely, 



Ch. Darwin. 



* The point was doubtless de- being directed to the platysma, a 

 scribed as a new one, to avoid the muscle which had been the subject 

 possibility of Dr. Ogle's attention of discussion in other letters. 



