NEURALGIA OR "TIC DOULOUREUX" OF THE LIVER. 27 



Hyperaesthesia of the cutaneous nerves, for instance, is 

 manifested by pain in its various modifications ; that of 

 the nerves of special sense by phantasms. The sphere 

 taken by the brain, as the grand centre of the nervous 

 system, in sensations, is not only receptive, but reactive as 

 well. For if the imagination dwells upon the sensation, 

 the latter becomes more intense, and more denned ; and 

 the influence or power of imagination may create varied 

 sensations, as is often proved' by the feeling of nausea, 

 i'i'".i"igo t and that morbid condition termed " hypochon- 

 '*i&." Another manifestation of exalted irritability 

 of the centripetal nerve takes place by reflect action 

 upon the motor apparatus, in which sensation may be 

 absent, or it may continue. In the former case, the 

 absence of accompanying sensation increases the diffi- 

 culty of forming a correct judgment ; but we may satisfy 

 ourselves of the real character of the affection, by observ- 

 ing that the gentlest irritation of centripetal nerves, 

 which in ordinary conditions would produce no effect, at 

 once rouses reaction amounting to violent spasmodic 

 action ; thn is well illustrated in cases of poisoning by 

 strychnine, in tetanus, and in hydrophobia. The com- 

 bination of sensation and reflex action is often exhibited 

 in neuralgia of the cerebro-spinal nerves, and more par- 

 ticularly in the sympathetic. In ciliary neuralgia, for 

 instance, or photophobia, the eyelids are closed by reflex 

 action, communicated by the sensitive fibres of the 

 trigeminus to the motor fibres of the facial nerve. In 

 proeopalgia, with neuralgia of the tongue, reflex action 

 is communicated to the hypoglossus, and in consequence 

 of this, the tongue becomes tremulous, painful, and 

 thrown out. 



