The mouth grows dry, the tongue sticky, and a bitter taste ensues which, it would appear, is only a consequence of the tongue's dryness. In nursing women the milk diminishes or altogether dries up.There is one of the most regular manifestations of grief, which apparently contradicts these other physiological phenomena, and that is the weeping, with its profuse secretion of tears, its swollen reddened face, red eyes, and augmented secretion from the nasal mucous membrane."
Lange goes on to suggest that this may be a reaction from a previously contracted vaso-motor state.The explanation seems a forced one.The fact is that there are changeable expressions of grief.The weeping is as apt as not to be immediate, especially in women and children.Some men can never weep.The tearful and the dry phases alternate in all who can weep, sobbing storms being followed by periods of calm; and the shrunken, cold, and pale condition which Lange describes so well is more characteristic of a severe settled sorrow than of an acute mental pain.Properly we have two distinct emotions here, both prompted by the same object, it is true, but affecting different persons, or the same person at different times, and feeling quite differently whilst they last, as anyone's consciousness will testify.There is an excitement during the crying fit which is not without a certain pungent pleasure of its own; but it would take a genius for felicity to discover any dash of redeeming quality in the feeling of dry and shrunken sorrow.- Our author continues:
"If the smaller vessels of the lungs contract so that these organs become anæmic, we have (as is usual under such conditions) the feeling of insufficient breath, and of oppression of the chest, and these tormenting sensations increase the sufferings of the griever, who seeks relief by long drawn sighs, instinctively, like every one who lacks breath from whatever cause.
"The anæmia 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 anæmia 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.Lange simplifies and universalizes the phenomena a little too much in this description, and in particular that he very likely overdoes the anæmia-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.Darwin 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 palpitates or knocks against the ribs;
but it is very doubtful if it then works more efficiently 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 exclusively, 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 marvellous 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 muscles 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 indistinct or may altogether fail.
'Obstupui steteruntque comæ, et vox faucibus hæsit.'...
As fear increases into an agony of terror, we behold, as under all violent emotions, diversified results.The heart beats wild- ly or must fail to act and faintness ensue; there is a death-like pallor; the breathing is labored; the wings of the nostrils are widely dilated; there is a gasping and convulsive motion of the lips, a tremor on the hollow cheek, a gulping and catching of the throat; the uncovered and protruding eyeballs are fixed on the object of terror; or they may roll restlessly from side to side, huc illuc volens oculos totumque pererrat.The pupils are said to be enormously dilated.All the muscles of the body may become rigid or may be thrown into convulsive movements.The hands are alternately clenched and opened, often with a twitching movement.The arms may be protruded as if to avert some dreadful danger, or may be thrown wildly over the head.
The Rev.Mr.Hagenauer has seen this latter action in a terrified Australian.
In other cases there is a sudden and uncontrollable tendency to headlong flight; and so strong is this that the boldest soldiers may be seized with a sudden panic."
Finally take Hatred, and read the synopsis of its possible effects as given by Sig.Mantegazza:
"Withdrawal of the head backwards, withdrawal of the trunk; projection forwards of the hands, as if to defend one's self against the hated object;
