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Show 158 EXPRESSION OF SUFFERING ! CHAP. VI. sobbing does not commence during early infancy, but afterwards comes on rather suddenly and then follows every bad crying-fit, until the habit is checked with advancing years. On the cause of the contraction of the muscles round the eyes during screaming.-We have seen that infants and young children, whilst screaming, invariably close their eyes firmly, by the contraction of the surrounding muscles, so that the skin becomes wrinkled all around. With older children, and even with adults, whenever there is violent and unrestrained crying, a tendency to the contraction of these same muscles may be observed; though this is often checked in order not to interfere with vision. Sir C. Bell explains 12 this action in the following manner :-" During every violent act of expiration, "whether in hearty laughter, weeping, coughing, or " sneezing, the eyeball is firmly compressed by the " fibres of the orbicularis ; and this is a provision for "supporting and defending the vascular system of the "interior of the eye from a retrograde impulse com" municated to the blood in the veins at that time. "When we contract the chest and expel the air, there "is a retardation of the blood in the veins of the neck "and head; and in the more powerful acts of expul" sion, the blood not only distends the vessels, but is " even regurgitated into the minute branches. Were "the eye not properly compressed at that time, and a " resistance given to the shock, irreparable injury might "be inflicted on the delicate textures of the interior of " the eye." He further adds, " If we separate the eye- 12 'The Anatomy of Expression,' 1844, p.106. See also his paper in the 'Philosophical Transactions,' 1822, p. 284, ibid. 1823, pp. 166 and 289. Also 'T4e Nenous Syste1n of the Human Body,' 3rd edit. ~8p6, -p.l759 VHAP. VI. WEEPING. 159 ,., lids of a child to examine the eye, while it cries and '' struggles with passion, by taking off the natural "' support to the vascular system of the eye, and means " o~ guarding it against the rush of blood then occur" ring, the conjunctiva becomes suddenly filled with " blood, and the eyelids everted." Not only are the muscles round the eyes strongly contracted, as Sir C. Bell states and as I have oft obser~ed, during screaming, loud laughter, coughing, a=~ sneezing, but during several other analogous actions. ~man contracts these muscles when he violently blows Ius nose. I asked one of my boys to shout as loudly he possibly c~uld, ~nd as soon as he began, he firm:; contracted his orbicular muscles; I observed this repeatedly, and on asking him why he had every time so firmly closed his eyes, I found that he was quite una war~ of the fact: he had acted instinctively or unconsciously. It is not necessary, in order to lead to the contraction of these muscles~ that air should actually be expelled from the chest; It suffices that the muscles of the chest and abdomen should contract with great force, whilst by the ~l.osure of th.e glottis no air escapes. In violent vomiting or retching the diaphragm is made to descend by the chest being filled with air; it is then held in this position by the closure of the glottis, " as well as by "the contraction of its own fibres." 13 The abdominal muscles now contract strongly upon the stomach 'its proper muscles likewise contracting, and the con;ents are thus ejected. During each effort of vomiting " th "head becomes greatly congested, so that the features " are red and swollen, and the large veins of the face 13 See Dr. Brinton's account of the act of vomiting, in Todd's Cyclop. of Anatomy and Physiology, 1859, vol. v. Supplement, p. 3l . |