Chap. VI. WEEPING. I57 



then follows every bad crying-fit, until the habit is 

 checked with advancing years. 



On the cause of the contraction of the muscles round 

 the eyes during screaming. — We have seen that infants 

 and yonng children, whilst screaming, invariably close 

 their eyes firmly, by the contraction of the surrounding 

 muscles, so that the skin becomes wrinkled all around. 

 With older children, and even with adults, whenever 

 there is violent and unrestrained crying, a tendency to 

 the contraction of these same muscles may be observed; 

 though this is often checked in order not to interfere 

 with vision. 



Sir C. Bell explains 12 this action in the following 

 manner: — " During every violent act of expiration, 

 whether in hearty laughter, weeping, coughing, or sneez- 

 ing, the eyeball is firmly compressed by the fibres of the 

 orbicularis; and this is a provision for supporting and 

 defending the vascular system of the interior of the eye 

 from a retrograde impulse communicated to the blood 

 in the veins at that time. When we contract the chest 

 and expel the air, there is a retardation of the blood in 

 the veins of the neck and head; and in the more power- 

 ful acts of expulsion, the blood not only distends the 

 vessels, but is even regurgitated into the minute 

 branches. Were the eye not properly compressed at that 

 time, and a resistance given to the shock, irreparable 

 injury might be inflicted on the delicate textures of the 

 interior of the eye." He further adds, " If we separate 

 the eyelids of a child to examine the eye, while it cries 

 and struggles with passion, by taking off the natural 

 support to the vascular system of the eye, and means of 



12 ' The Anatomy of Expression,' 1844, p. 106. See 

 also his paper in the ' Philosophical Transactions,' 1822, 

 p. 284, ibid. 1823, pp. 166 and 289. Also ' The Nervous 

 System of the Human Body,' 3rd edit. 1S36, p. 175. 



