460 BIOLOGY. 



the sense for determining inequalities, for the Soft and 

 Hard, for the Solid, Fluid, and Gaseous ; all these feel- 

 ings, however, are referable to the contact. 



2792. Through diseased conditions, the polarizability 

 of the sensitive nerves may become exceedingly elevated, 

 and they then perceive the polarity of contact prior to 

 the contact having taken place. For the two bodies 

 invariably excite poles that are antagonized to each other. 

 Were other bodies not to approach them more closely, 

 or else act upon them more energetically and so extin- 

 guish the polarity; they would remain at an infinite 

 distance in a state of polar relation towards each other. 

 Feeling can therefore be extended to an indefinite dis- 

 tance. Hysterical, mesmerized, and even healthy human 

 beings, feel further than they grasp or touch with the 

 hand. 



2793. Homogeneous polarities, or those of the same 

 kind, are throughout nature to be found also by means 

 of others ; e. g. electrical polarities are not disturbed by 

 the intervention of magnetic ones. Such is the case 

 also in feeling. That which is related to oneself is felt, 

 although it is more remote from us than other objects, 

 upon which we do not bestow any attention, or towards 

 which we do not turn our poles. 



2794. The sense of feeling differs according to the 

 diversity of certain points in the integument, and is thus 

 nobler in character, the higher the rank which these may 

 hold. Thus it is most feebly developed in vegetable situ- 

 ations, where hairs, nails, claws, and scales are placed. 

 It must attain the highest grade of perfection in the 

 animal organs, and thus in the limbs or their parallels, 

 the lips. 



2795. In the limbs, by reason of their mobility, the 

 feeling becomes voluntary. It is then wholly in our 

 power to strengthen or weaken the contact, to press 

 gently or firmly, and allow these periods of feeling to 

 succeed each other rapidly or slowly. 



2796. Feeling associated with motion is called touch; 

 this condition of the organ the tactile sense. The tactile 



