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Show 72 TilE PRINCIPLE OF THE DIRECT CHAP. III. nature is, to a large extent, determined by those which have often and voluntarily been performed f~r some definite end under the satue emotion. Great pain urges all animals and has uraed them during endless ge:r;:terations, to m~ke the most violent and diversified effort~ to escape from the cause of suffering. Even when a hn1b or other separate part of the body is hurt, we often see a tendency to shake it, a" if to shake off the cans?, though this 1nay obviously be impossible. Thus a ha~It of exertino- with the utrnost force all the muscles will have beenb established, whenever great suffering is experienced. As the muscles of th~ chest an~ vocal oro·ans are habitually used, these w11l be part1cularl y h • liable to be acted on, and loud, harsh screams or cr1es will be uttered. But the advantage derived from outcries has here probably co1ne into play in an important manner; for the young of most anitnals, when in distress or danger, call loudly to their parents for aid, as do the 1nembers of the same cornmunity for n1utual aid.. Another principle, namely, the internal consciousness that the power or capacity of the nervous system is limited, will have strengthened, though in a subordinate degree, the tendency to violent action under extre1ne suffering. A 1nan cannot think deeply and exert his utmost musculat· force. As Hippocrates long ago observed, if two pains are felt at the same time, the severer one dulls the other. l\iartyrs, in the ecstasy of their religious fervour have often, as it would appear, been insensible to the most horrid tortures. Sailors who are going to be flogged son1eti1nes take a piece of lead into their mouths, in order to bite it with their uttnost force, and thus to bear the pain. Parturient women prepare to exert their n1uscles to the utn1ost in order to relieve their sufferings. 'Ve thus see thn.t the urtdirected radiation of nerve ... CnAP. III. ACTION OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 73 force fron1 th~ nerve-cells which are first affectedthe long-continued habit of attemptino- by struo-o-lino-o Ob 0 to escape fro1n the cause of suffering-and the con-sciousness that voluntary muscular exertion relieves pain, have all probably concurred in giving a tendency to the 1nost violent, almost convulsive, movements under extreme sufferino- ,· and such movements in-o ' eluding those of the vocal organs, are universally recog-nised as highly expressive of this condition. As the mere touching of a sensitive nerve reacts in a direct manner on the heart, severe pain will obviously react on it in like manner, but far n1ore energetically. Nevertheless, even in this case, we must not overlook the indirect effects of habit on the heart, as we shall see when we consider the signs of rage. vVhen a n1an suffers fron1 an agony of pain, the perspiration often trickleF; down his face; and I have been assured. by a veterinary surgeon that he has frequently seen drops falling from the belly and running down the inside of the thighs of horses, and from the bodies of cattle, when thus sufferjng. He has observed this, when there has been no struggling which would account foe the perspiration. The whole body of the female hippopotamus, before alluded to, was covered with red-coloured perspiration whilst giving birth to her young. So it is with extreme fear; the same veterinary has often seen horses sweating from this cause; as has Mr. Bartlett with the rhinoceros; and with man it is a well-known symptom. The cause of perspiration bursting forth in these cases is quite obscure; but it is thought by some physiologists to be connected with the failing power of the capilla1·y circulation; and we know that the vasomotor system, which regulateF; the capillary circulation, is much influenced by the mind. With respect to tho mov{jments of c~rtain U!Uscles qf the fac~ under ~Teat |