civ Journal of Comparative Neurology. 



Be this as it may, anatomy supports the view that consciousness ap- 

 pears before birth. We find in the human embryo not only vegetative 

 but also motor activities — the fcetal movements. These movements can- 

 not be due to mechanical stimuli, for they occur even when the mother is 

 resting. Light and temperature are excluded. Chemical stimuli are the 

 main , cause of the movements. But in the lower animals chemical stim- 

 uli are the main source of the general feelings. Here then, as lower 

 down, it is probable that chemical stimuli originate the first general feel- 

 ings. 



At birth the babe is subjected to a new series of stimuli. All these 



at first originate general feelings only. When light first falls upon the 

 retina the childlcloses the eyelids. -Evidently the child is expressing dis- 

 comfort. Here then we have a general feeling before the sensation of 

 sight. It is so with all the senses. We cannot have a sense-perception 

 until we learn to associate inner changes with external stimuli. 



Hence we see that in the ontogenetic as well as the phylogenetic de- 

 velopment, the general feelings are the first psychical faculties to appear. 



The Most Prominent General Feelings. These are the organic 

 feelings and the general feelings of the various senses. 



The organic feelitigs may be divided into two divisions, (a) organic 

 feelings of the vegetative system ; (b) organic feelings of the animal 

 system. 



Under organic feelings of the vegetative system are classed all those 

 feelings which radiate from the respiratory or digestive systems. 



The normal functioning of the respiratory system is accompanied by 

 no feelings. But the moment it functions wrongly an unpleasant feeling 

 arises. Every chemical change in the air breathed arouses a general 

 feeling. A change from foul to pure air arouses a feeling of pleasure. 

 A change from pure to foul air arouses a feeling of pain. Under this 

 head are classed: headache, oppression, distraction, etc. All these are 

 caused by improper diffusion of gas and conseqent blood poisoning. 

 Some animals are so affected by changes in the atmosphere that they can 

 predict the weather. 



When feelings accompany digestion they are usually of an unpleas- 

 ant character. When the body's demand for food exceeds the supply, 

 hunger ensues. Hypochondria is the child of bad digestion. This is 

 proved by the fact that hypochondriacs arc often cured by putting the 

 digestive apparatus in order. 



