Chap. VI. WEEPING. 151 



open; so that the above-named depressor muscles are not 

 brought into such strong action. 



With one of my own infants, from his eighth day and 

 for some time afterwards, I often observed that the first 

 sign of a screaming-fit, when it could be observed com- 

 ing on gradually, was a little frown, owing to the con- 

 traction of the corrugators of the brows; the capillaries 

 of the naked head and face becoming at the same time 

 reddened with blood. As soon as the screaming-fit ac- 

 tually began, all the muscles round the eyes were strongly 

 contracted, and the mouth widely opened in the manner 

 above described; so that at this early period the features 

 assumed the same form as at a more advanced age. 



Dr. Piderit 6 lays great stress on the contraction of 

 certain muscles which draw down the nose and narrow 

 the nostrils, as eminently characteristic of a crying ex- 

 pression. The depressores dnguli oris, as we have just 

 seen, are usually contracted at the same time, and they 

 indirectly tend, according to Dr. Duchenne, to act in 

 this same manner on the nose. With children having 

 bad colds a similar pinched appearance of the nose may 

 be noticed, which is at least partly due, as remarked to 

 me by Dr. Langstaff, to their constant snuffling, and the 

 consequent pressure of the atmosphere on the two sides. 

 The purpose of this contraction of the nostrils by chil- 

 dren having bad colds, or whilst erring", seems to be to 

 check the downward flow of the mucus and tears, and 

 to prevent these fluids spreading over the upper lip. 



After a prolonged and severe screaming-fit, the scalp, 

 face, and eyes are reddened, owing to the return of the 

 blood from the head having been impeded by the violent 

 expiratory efforts; but the redness of the stimulated 



« ' 



Mimik und Physioernomik,' 1867, s. 102. Duchenne, 

 Mecanisme de la Phys. Humaine, Alburn, p. 34. 



