THE SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM 39 



these subjects. To understand this syndrome all that is 

 necessary is to notice the symptoms which accompany 

 emotions; the emotional neuro vegetative phenomena 

 being neurotonic. The patients, which Dupre had in mind 

 when he studied the emotional constitution, certainly were 

 neurotonic. In the gastric neurosis we also find many 

 examples of neurotonic individuals; that is, disturbances 

 due to modification of the two nervous systems of vege- 

 tative life. 



We see without insisting further, the multiple clinical 

 manifestations which may result from disturbances of the 

 nervous system of vegetative life. These also result in re- 

 actions far away; reflex, neuralgia, tonic disturbances, 

 symptomatic visceral affections and many others. 



In spite of the many new discoveries relating to the 

 pathology of the sympathetic, its symptomatology is still 

 extremely obscure. The conception of neurotonia and of 

 the balance which normally exists between the sympa- 

 thetic and parasympathetic system certainly helps us in 

 analyzing clinical facts. These can still better be inter- 

 preted, thanks to the various reactions we have mentioned 

 (oculo cardiac reflex, atropin, pilocarpin or suprarenalin 

 tests). It is to be hoped that in the near future the 

 physio pathology of the sympathetic system and its 

 symptomatology will be possible to study from a practical 

 point of view. 



At the present time, we limit ourselves to the observation 

 of the effect of certain endocrine disturbances on the func- 

 tion of the sympathetic and parasympathetic and the no 

 less definite action of these systems on the endocrine glands. 

 AAe must, however, remember that there are direct con- 

 nections between the endocrine glands without the inter- 

 vention of the nervous system, so that functional alter- 



