492 VOLUNTARY MOTION. 



respiration as of a mixed character, as both voluntary and 

 involuntary, they appear to me as voluntary as any voluntary 

 muscles ; but equally, though not more, liable to become in- 

 voluntary. The orbicularis palpebrarum all allow to be a volun- 

 tary muscle ; yet, if a person suddenly moves his finger towards 

 one of our eyes, even without touching it, we wink involun- 

 tarily. Nay, without such motives, some voluntary muscles are in 

 certain circumstances involuntary. We move our ring finger at 

 pleasure: yet if we bend our little finger, few can refrain from 

 bending the ring finger. We experience great difficulty u in 

 attempting to move the hand and foot of the same side in 

 different directions, and in all those motions which, although 

 voluntary and perfectly easy if produced separately, are found 

 very difficult if attempted together." f Again, " few voluntary 

 motions may not be rendered involuntary by the force of habit, 

 whose influence upon the mind is immense." Every action of the 

 system, mental or corporeal, takes place more readily in pro- 

 portion to its repetition; and therefore certain actions of volun- 

 tary muscles may at length occur not only with an almost im- 

 perceptible exciting cause, but in doing an action we may from 

 habit be unable to perform it except in one way, and actions of 



Valerius Maximus i& have so destroyed himself. " Let others," says the his- 

 torian, "sharpen the sword, mix the poison, take the rope, look for precipices," 

 " nihil horum Coma, sed intra pectus inclusaanima, finemsui reperit." (Lib. ix. 

 cap. xii. externa. 1.) 



Few can have so much determination ; and, indeed, success can rarely follow 

 this attempt at suicide, because, as soon as the brain begins to suffer, the effort 

 must decline, and the effects cease. Still, from general or partial tenuity of the 

 vessels of the head, such congestion may readily occur as may occasion rupture ; 

 and suicide of this kind is therefore by no means impossible. I have known the 

 sinuses rupture under strong muscular exertions. 



Dr. Georget mentions that a M. Bourdon made some experiments upon him- 

 self, from which it appeared that a person may commit this kind of suicide. 

 (De la Physiologic du Systeme Nerveux, $c., t. i. p. 387.) 



It is said that suicide has frequently been committed by turning the tongue 

 back, and thus excluding the air from the larynx. In Notices of Brazil, in 1 828-9, 

 the Rev. R. Walsh says that the poor wretched slaves often destroy themselves 

 thus. " A friend of mine," he adds, " was passing when a slave was tied up 

 and flogged; after a few lashes he hung his head, appearing lifeless, and when 

 taken down, was actually dead; his tongue was found wedged in the oesophagus. 



' " Consult Winslow, Mem. de V4cad, des Sciences de Paris. 1739." 



