the origin and nature of emotions-第11节

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e　subjected　by　phylogenetic　association　to　a　specific　stimulation　analogous　to　that　which　attended　the　ancestral　consummation。　　Moreover；　a　happy　marriage　has　many　times　been　followed　by　a　cure　of　the　exophthalmic　goiter　which　appeared　in　the　wake　of　such　an　experience。

The　victims　of　Graves'　disease　present　a　counterpart　of　emotional　exhaustion。　　That　the　emotions　in　Graves'　disease　are　abnormally　acute　is　illustrated　by　my　personal　observation　of　the　death　of　a　subject　of　this　disease　from　fear　alone。　Whatever　the　exciting　cause　of　this　disease；　the　symptoms　are　the　same；　just　as　in　fear；　the　phenomena　are　the　same　whatever　the　exciting　cause。

Figures　12　and　16　show　the　resemblance　between　the　outward　appearances　of　a　patient　with　Graves'　disease　and　of　a　person　obsessed　by　fear。　Fear　and　Graves'　disease　have　the　following　phenomena　in　common：　Increased　heart…beat；　increased　respiration；　rising　temperature；　muscular　tremors；　protruding　eyes；　loss　in　weight；　Cannon　has　found　an　increased　amount　of　adrenalin　in　the　blood　in　fear　and　Frankel　in　Graves'　disease；　increased　blood…pressure；　muscular　weakness；　digestive　disturbances；　impaired　nervous　control；　hypersusceptibility　to　stimuli；　in　protracted　intense　fear　the　brain…cells　show　marked　physical　changes；　and　in　Graves'　disease　analogous　changes　are　seen　（Figs。　13　C　and　15）。　In　Graves'　disease　there　seems　to　be　a　composite　picture　of　an　intense　expression　of　the　great　primitive　emotions。　If　Graves'　disease　be　a　disease　of　the　great　primitive　emotions；　or　rather　of　the　whole　motor　mechanism；　how　is　the　constant　flow　of　stimulation　of　this　complicated　mechanism　supplied？　　It　would　seem　that　there　must　be　secreted　in　excessive　amount　some　substance　that　activates　the　motor　mechanism。　　The　nervous　system　in　Graves'　disease　is　hypersusceptible　to　stimuli　and　to　thyroid　extract。　It　might　follow　that　even　a　normal　amount　of　thyroid　secretion　would　lead　to　excessive　stimulation　of　the　hypersusceptible　motor　mechanism。

This　condition　of　excessive　motor　activity　and　hyperexcitability　may　endure　for　years。　　What　is　the　source　of　this　pathologic　excitation？　The　following　facts　may　give　a　clue。　　In　suitable　cases　of　Graves'　disease；　if　the　thyroid　secretion　is　sufficiently　diminished　by　a　removal　of　a　part　of　the　gland　or　by　interrupting　the　nerve　and　the　blood　supply；　the　phenomena　of　the　disease　are　diminished　immediately；　and　in　favorable　cases　the　patient　is　restored　to　approximately　the　normal　condition。　The　heart　action　slows；　the　respiratory　rate　falls；　the　restlessness　diminishes；　digestive　disturbances　disappear；　tremors　decrease；　there　is　a　rapid　increase　in　the　body　weight；　and　the　patient　gradually　resumes　his　normal　state。　　On　the　other　hand；　if　for　a　period　of　time　extract　of　the　thyroid　gland　is　administered　to　a　normal　individual　in　excessive　dosage；　there　will　develop　nervousness；　palpitation　of　the　heart；　sweating；　loss　of　weight；　slight　protrusion　of　the　eyes；　indigestion；　in　short；　most　of　the　phenomena　of　Graves'　disease　and　of　the　strong　emotions　will　be　produced　artificially　（Figs。　15　and　23）。　When　the　administration　of　the　thyroid　extract　is　discontinued；　these　phenomena　may　disappear。　　On　the　other　hand；　when　there　is　too　little　or　no　thyroid　gland；　the　individual　becomes　dull；　stupid；　and　emotionless；　though　he　may　be　irritable；　while　if　a　sufficient　amount　of　thyroid　extract　be　given　to　such　a　patient　he　may　be　brought　back　to　his　normal　condition。

Hence　we　see　that　the　phenomena　of　the　emotions　may　within　certain　limits　be　increased；　diminished；　or　abolished　by　increasing；　diminishing；　or　totally　excluding　the　secretion　of　the　thyroid　gland。

Graves'　disease　may　be　increased　by　giving　thyroid　extract　and　by　fear。　It　may　be　diminished　by　removing　a　part　of　the　gland；　or　by　interrupting　the　blood　and　nerve　supply；　or　by　complete　rest。　In　addition；　at　some　stage　of　Graves'　disease　there　is　an　increase　in　the　size　and　in　the　number　of　the　secreting　cells。　These　facts　regarding　the　normal　and　the　pathologic　supply　of　thyroid　secretion　point　to　this　gland　as　one　of　the　sources　of　the　energizing　substance　or　substances；　by　means　of　which　the　motor　phenomena　of　animals　are　executed　and　their　emotions　expressed。

Anger　is　similar　to　fear　in　origin　and；　like　fear；　is　an　integration　and　stimulation　of　the　motor　mechanism　and　its　accessories。　Animals　which　have　no　natural　weapons　for　attack　experience　neither　fear　nor　anger；　while　the　animals　which　have　weapons　for　attack　express　anger　principally　by　energizing　the　muscles　used　in　attack。　Although；　as　has　already　been　stated；　the　efficiency　of　the　hands　of　man　has　largely　supplanted　the　use　of　the　teeth；　he　still　shows　his　teeth　in　anger　and　so　gives　support　to　the　theory　that　this　emotion　is　of　remote　ancestral　origin　and　proves　the　great　persistence　of　phylogenetic　association。　　On　this　conception　we　can　understand　why　it　is　that　a　patient　consumed　by　worrywhich　to　me　signifies　interrupted　stimulation；　a　state　of　alternation　between　hope　and　fearsuffers　so　many　bodily　impairments　and　diseases　even。　This　hypothesis　explains　the　slow　dying　of　animals　in　captivity。　It　explains　the　grave　digestive　and　metabolic　disturbances　which　appear　under　any　nerve　strain；　especially　under　the　strain　of　fear；　and　the　great　benefits　of　confidence　and　hope；　it　explains　the　nervousness；　loss　of　weight；　indigestionin　short；　the　comprehensive　physical　changes　that　are　wrought　by　fear　and　by　sexual　love　and　hate。　On　this　hypothesis　we　can　understand　the　physical　influence　of　one　individual　over　the　body　and　personality　of　another；　and　of　the　infinite　factors　in　environment　that；　through　phylogenetic　association；　play　a　role　in　the　functions　of　many　of　our　organs。　It　is　because　under　the　uncompromising　law　of　survival　of　the　fittest　we　were　evolved　as　motor　beings　that　we　do　not　possess　any　organs　or　faculties　which　have　not　served　our　progenitors　in　accomplishing　their　survival　in　the　relentless　struggle　of　organic　forms　with　one　another。　We　are　now；　as　we　were　then；　essentially　motor　beings；　and　the　only　way　in　which　we　can　meet　the　dangers　in　our　environment　is　by　a　motor　response。　Such　a　motor　response　implies　the　integration　of　our　entire　being　for　action；　this　integration　involving　the　activity　of　certain　glands；　such　as　the　adrenals　（Cannon）；　the　thyroid；　the　liver；　etc。；　which　throw　into　the　blood…stream　substances　which　help　to　form　energy；　but　which；　if　no　muscular　action　ensues；　are　harmful　elements　in　the　blood。　While　this　motor　preparation　is　going　on；　the　entire　digestive　tract　is　inhibited。　　It　thus　becomes　clear　why　an　emotion　is　more　harmful　than　action。

Any　agency　that　can　sufficiently　inspire　faith；dispel　worry；　whether　that　agency　be　mystical；　human；　or　divine；　will　at　once　stop　the　body…wide　stimulations　and　inhibitions　which　cause　lesions　which　are　as　truly　physical　as　is　a　fracture。　The　striking　benefits　of　good　luck；　success；　and　happiness；　of　a　change　of　scene；　of　hunting　and　fishing；　of　optimistic　and　helpful　friends；　are　at　once　explained　by　this　hypothesis。　One　can　also　understand　the　difference　between　the　broken　body　and　spirits　of　an　animal　in　captivity　and　its　buoyant　return　to　its　normal　condition　when　freed。

But　time　will　not　permit　me　to　follow　this　tempting　lead；　which　has　been　introduced　for　another　purposethe　proposal　of　a　remedy。

Worries　either　are　or　are　not　groundless。　　Of　those　that　have　a　basis；　many　are　exaggerated。　　It　has　occurred　to　me　to　utilize　as　an　antidote　an　appeal　to　the　same　great　law　that　originally　excited　the　instinctive　involuntary　reaction　known　as　fear　the　law　of　self…preservation。

I　have　found　that　if　an　intelligent　patient　who　is　suffering　from　fear　can　be　made　to　see　so　plainly　as　to　become　firmly　convinced　that　his　brain；　his　various　organs；　indeed　his　whole　being；　could　be　physically　damaged　by　fear；　that　this　same　instinct　of　self…preservation　will；　to　the　extent　of　his　conviction；　banish　fear。　It　is　hurling　a　threatened　active　militant　danger；　whose　injurious　influences　are　both　certain　and　known；　against　an　uncertain；　perhaps　a　fancied；　one。　　In　other　words；　fear　itself　is　an　injury　which　when　recognized　is　instinctively　avoided。　　In　a　similar　manner　anger　may　be　softened　or　banished　by　an　appeal　to　the　stronger　self…preserving　instinct　aroused　by　the　fear　of　physical　damage；　such　as　the　physical　injury　of　brain…cells。　This　playing　of　one　primitive　instinct　against　another　is　comparable　to　the　effect　produced　upon　two　men　who　are　quarreling　when　a　more　powerful　enemy　of　both　comes　threateningly　on　the　scene。

The　acute　fear　of　a　surgical　operation　may　be　banished　by　the　use　of　certain　drugs　that　depress　the　associational　power　of　the　brain　and　so　minimize　the　effect　of　the　preparations　that　usually　inspire　fear。　If；　in　addition；　the　entire　field　of　operation　is　blocked　by　local　anesthesia　so　that　the　associational　centers　are　not　awakened；　the　patient　will　pass　through　the　operation　unscathed。

The　phylogenetic　origin　of　fear　is　injury；　hence　injury　and　fear　cause　the　same　phenomena。　　In　their　quality　and　in　their　phenomena　psychic　shock　and　traumatic　shock　are　the　same。　　The　perception　of　danger　by　the　special　senses　in　the　sound　of　the　opening　gun　of　a　ba