Herrick, Modem Algedonic Theones. 29 



sensation sometimes felt with surcharged bladder), and accom- 

 panied by strong impulse to squeeze or hug the animal, to con- 

 tract the muscles of the jaws, arms, etc. 



These are often very powerful sensations, and productive 

 of almost violent impulses. They are analagous to certain sex- 

 ual instincts (perverted in gynophagia, etc.), but are quite dis- 

 tinct from them. 



The impulses of emotion have received careful study, and 

 only too often have been identified as part of the feeling. If it 

 were desired to analyze emotion as of three-fold character, thus: 

 sensation, cognition, impulse, there could be no serious objec- 

 tion, except that impulse doos not always require consciousness 

 of its occasion as emotion must. Strong evidence as to the na- 

 ture of emotion is afforded by the fact that imitation of the ex- 

 pressions of emotion reflexly awaken the emotion, while vigor- 

 ous repression of these impulses quickly obliterate it. Distrac- 

 tion of the attention may check the tempest rising in a child's 

 bosom which, once overflowing, could only find relief in ex- 

 haustion. 



Many persons who are not suspected of neurotic disease, 

 have a transitory mania which exhibits itself in paroxysms of 

 fury as blind and unreasonable as those of a maniac, and which 

 may be occasioned by trivial circumstances. The fact that im- 

 pulsive responses to emotional excitation have this reflex power 

 is a significant one in the treatment of nervous disease. Bucke's 

 description of nervous dyspepsia may find a place here. " All 

 physicians who have been much engaged in general practice 

 have seen cases of dyspepsia in which constant low spirits and 

 occasional attacks of terror rendered the patient's condition pit- 

 iable in the extreme. I have observed these cases often and 

 have watched them closely, and I have never seen greater suf- 

 fering of any kind than I have witnessed during these attacks. 

 Thus a man is suffering from what we call nervous 

 dyspepsia. Some day, we will suppose in the middle of the af- 

 ternoon, without any warning or visible cause, one of these at- 

 tacks of terror comes on. The first thing the man feels is great, 

 but vacfue discomfort. Then he notices that his heart is beat- 



