446 PSYCHOLOGY 



" The anaemia of the brain in grief is shown by intellectual inertia, 

 dullness, a feeling of mental weariness, effort, and indisposition to 

 work, often by sleeplessness. Indeed it is the anaemia of the motor 

 centres of the brain which lies at the bottom of all that weakening of 

 the voluntary powers of motion which we described in the first instance. " 



My impression is that Dr. Lauge simplifies and univer- 

 salizes the phenomena a little too much in this description, 

 and in particular that he very likely overdoes the anaemia- 

 business. But such as it is, his account may stand as a 

 favorable specimen of the sort of descriptive work to which 

 the emotions have given rise. 



Take next another emotion, Fear, and read what Mr. Dar- 

 win says of its effects : 



" Fear is often preceded by astonishment, and is so far akin to it 

 that both lead to the senses of sight and hearing being instantly aroused. 

 In both cases the eyes and mouth are widely opened and the eyebrows 

 raised. The frightened man at first stands like a statue, motionless and 

 breathless, or crouches down as if instinctively to escape observation. 

 The heart beats quickly and violently, so that it paljiitates or knocks 

 against the ribs ; but it is very doubtful if it then works moreeflfieiently 

 than usual, so as to send a greater supply of blood to all parts of the 

 body ; for the skin instantly becomes pale as during incipient faintness. 

 This paleness of the surface, however, is probably in large part, or is ex- 

 clusively, due to the vaso-motor centre being affected in such a manner 

 as to cause the contraction of the small arteries of the skin. That the 

 skin is much affected under the sense of great fear, we see in the mar- 

 vellous manner in which perspiration immediately exudes from it. This 

 exudation is all the more remarkable, as the surface is then cold, and 

 hence the term, a cold sweat ; whereas the sudorific glands are properly 

 excited into action when the surface is heated. The hairs also on the 

 skin stand erect, and the superficial muscles shiver. In connection with 

 the disturbed action of the heart the breathing is hurried. The salivary 

 glands act imperfectly; the mouth becomes dry and is often opened and 

 shut. I have also noticed that under slight fear there is strong tendency to 

 yawn. One of the best marked symptoms is the trembling of all the mus- 

 cles of the body ; and this is often first seen in the lips. From this cause, 

 and from the dryness of the mouth, the voice becomes husky or indis- 

 tnict or may altogether fail. ' Obstupui steteruutque comae, et vox fau- 

 cibus haesit.' . . . As fear increases into an agony of terror, we behold, 

 as under all violent emotions, diversified results. The heart beats wild- 



tion with anxiety and fear, see ' A Case of Hydrophobia ' by the lamented 

 Thos. B. Curtis In the Boston Med. and Surg-. Journal, Nov. 7 and 14, 

 1878, and remarks thereon by James J. Putnam, ibid. Nov. 21. 



