the origin and nature of emotions-第23节

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It　should　be　noted　that　in　every　instance　the　muscular　activity　resulting　from　pain　is　specific　in　its　type；　its　distribution；　and　its　intensity；　this　specificity　being　true　not　only　of　pain　which　is　the　result　of　external　stimulation；　but　also　of　the　pain　associated　with　certain　types　of　infection。

Pain；　however；　is　not　the　only　symptom　of　the　invasion　of　the　body　by　pyogenic　or　parasitic　organisms。　　Fever；　invariably；　and　chills；　often；　accompany　the　course　of　the　infections。　Can　these　phenomena　also　be　explained　as　adaptations　of　the　motor　mechanism　for　the　good　of　the　individual？

As　the　phenomena　of　chills　and　fever　are　most　strikingly　exhibited　in　malaria；　let　us　study　the　course　of　events　in　that　disease。　It　is　known　that　the　malarial　parasite　develops　in　the　red　blood…corpuscles；　and　that　the　chills　and　fever　appear　when　the　cycle　of　parasitic　development　is　complete　and　the　adults　are　ready　to　escape　from　the　corpuscles　of　the　blood　plasma。　Bass；　of　New　Orleans；　has　proved　that　the　favorable　temperature　for　the　growth　of　the　malarial　organism　is　98'0；　and　that　at　102'0　the　adult　organisms　will　be　killed；　though　the　latter　temperature　is　not　fatal　to　the　spores。　　The　adult　life　of　the　malarial　parasite　begins　after　its　escape　into　the　blood　plasma；　and　it　is　there　that　the　organism　is　most　susceptible　to　high　temperature。　We　must　infer；　therefore；　that　the　fever　is　an　adaptation　on　the　part　of　the　host　for　despatching　the　enemy。

What；　then；　may　be　the　protective　part　played　by　the　chill？　A　chill　is　made　up　of　intermittent　contractions　of　all　the　external　muscles　of　the　body。　　This　activity　results　in　an　increase　of　the　body　heat　and　in　an　anemia　of　the　superficial　parts　of　the　body；　so　that　less　heat　can　be　lost　by　radiation。　By　this　means；　therefore；　the　external　portions　of　the　body　contribute　measurably　to　the　production　of　the　beneficent　and　saving　fever。

It　must　be　remembered　that　this　power　of　adaptation　is　not　peculiar　to　man　alone；　but　that　it　is　a　quality　shared　by　all　living　creatures。　While　the　human　body　has　been　adapting　itself　for　self…protection　by　producing　a　febrile　reaction　whereby　to　kill　the　invading　organisms；　the　invaders　on　their　side　have　been　adapting　themselves　for　a　life　struggle　within　the　body　of　the　host。　　In　these　mortal　conflicts　between　invaders　and　host；　therefore；　the　issue　is　often　in　doubt；　and　sometimes　one　and　sometimes　the　other　will　emerge　victorious。

We　must　believe　that　a　similar　adaptive　response　exists　in　all　parasitic　infectionsthe　cycles　varying　according　to　the　stages　in　the　development　of　the　invaders。　　If　the　bacteria　develop　continuously；　the　fever　is　constant　instead　of　intermittent；　since　the　adequate　stimulus　is　constantly　present。

Bacteriology　has　taught　us　that　both　heat　and　cold　are　fatal　to　pathogenic　infections；　for　this　reason　either　of　the　apparently　contradictory　methods　of　treatment　may　help；　_i。　　e_。；　either　hot　or　cold　applications。　　It　should　be　borne　in　mind；　however；　that　we　have　to　deal　not　only　with　the　adult　organisms；　but　with　the　spores　also。　The　application　of　cold　may　keep　the　spores　from　developing；　while　heat　may　promote　their　development；　and　the　course　of　the　disease　may　vary；　therefore；　according　to　our　choice　of　treatment。

From　this　viewpoint；　we　can　understand　the　intermittent　temperature　in　a　patient　who　is　convalescing　from　an　extreme　infection；　as　peritonitis；　pylephlebitis；　multiple　abscess　of　the　liver；　etc。　In　these　conditions　there　may　occur　days　of　normal　temperature；　followed　by　an　abrupt　rise　which　will　last　for　several　days　this　in　turn　succeeded　by　another　remittance。　　This　cycle　may　be　repeated　several　times；　and　on　our　hypothesis　we　may　believe　it　is　caused　by　the　successive　development　to　maturity　of　spores　of　varying　ages。

If　these　premises　are　sound；　the　wisdom　of　reducing　the　temperature　in　case　of　infection　may　well　be　questioned。

On　this　mechanistic　basis　the　emotions　also　may　be　explained　as　activations　of　the　entire　motor　mechanism　for　fighting；　for　escaping；　for　copulating。　　*　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　*　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*

The　emotions；　then；　are　the　preparation　for　phylogenetic　activities　（Fig。　48）。　If　the　activities　were　consummated；　the　fuelglycogen　and　the　activating　secretions　from　the　thyroid；　the　adrenals；　the　hypophysis；　would　be　consumed。　　In　the　activation　without　action　these　products　must　be　eliminated　as　waste　products　and　so　a　heavy　strain　is　put　upon　the　organs　of　elimination。　It　is　obvious　that　the　body　under　emotion　might　be　clarified　by　active　muscular　exercise；　but　the　subject　of　the　emotion　is　so　strongly　integrated　thereby　that　it　is　difficult　for　him　to　engage　in　diverting；　clarifying　exertion。　　*　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　*　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*

So；　as　we　have　indicated　already；　certain　deleterious　effects　are　produced　when　the　body　mechanism　is　activated　without　resultant　action。　For　example；　the　output　of　adrenalin　is　increased；　and；　as　a　consequence；　arteriosclerosis　and　cardiovascular　disease　may　occur　in　persons　who　have　been　subjected　to　prolonged　emotional　strain；　since　it　has　been　proved　that　the　prolonged　administration　of　adrenalin　will　cause　these　conditions。　　We　have　stated　that　the　emotions　cause　increased　output　of　glycogen。　　Glycogen　is　a　step　toward　diabetes；　and　therefore　this　disease；　too；　is　prone　to　appear　in　persons　under　emotional　strain。　　It　is　most　common　in　those　races　which　are　especially　emotional　in　character；　so　we　are　not　surprised　to　find　it　especially　prevalent　among　Jews。　　So　common　is　this　particular　result　of　prolonged　emotion　that　some　one　has　said；　〃When　the　stocks　go　down　in　New　York；　diabetes　goes　up。〃　Nephritis；　also；　may　result　from　emotional　stress；　because　of　the　strain　put　upon　the　kidneys　by　the　unconsumed　activating　substances。　The　increased　heart　action　and　the　presence　of　these　activating　secretions　may　cause　myocarditis　and　heart　degeneration。　Claudication　also　may　result　from　the　impaired　circulation。

The　emotions　may　cause　an　inhibition　of　the　digestive　secretions　and　of　intestinal　peristalsis。　　This　means　that　the　digestive　processes　are　arrested；　that　putrefaction　and　autointoxication　will　result；　and　that　still　further　strain　will　thus　be　put　upon　the　organs　of　elimination。　　Who　has　not　observed　in　himself　and　in　others　when　under　the　influence　of　fear；　anger；　jealousy；　or　grief　that　the　digestive　processes　and　general　well…being　are　rapidly　and　materially　altered；　while　as　tranquillity；　peace；　and　happiness　return　the　physical　state　improves　accordingly？

Dentists　testify　that　as　a　result　of　continued　strong　emotion　the　character　of　the　saliva　changes；　pyorrhea　develops；　and　the　teeth　decay　rapidly。　Every　one　knows　that　strong　emotion　may　cause　the　hair　to　fall　out　and　to　become　prematurely　gray。

As　to　the　most　important　organ　of　allthe　brainevery　one　is　conscious　of　its　impaired　efficiency　under　emotional　strain；　and　laboratory　researches　show　that　the　deficiency　is　accounted　for　by　actual　cell　deterioration；　so　the　individual　who　day　by　day　is　under　heavy　emotional　strain　finds　himself　losing　strength　slowly　especially　do　his　friends　note　it。　　By　summation　of　stimuli　his　threshold　becomes　lowered　until　stimuli；　which　under　normal　conditions　would　be　of　no　effect；　produce　undue　responses。　〃The　grasshopper　becomes　a　burden；〃　and　prolonged　rest　and　change　of　environmental　conditions　are　necessary　for　restoration。

If　in　a　long　emotional　strain　the　brain　is　beaten　down；　if　the　number　of　〃low…efficiency〃　cells　increases；　the　driving　power　of　the　brain　is　correspondingly　lessened　and　therefore　the　various　organs　of　the　body　may　escape　through　the　very　inefficiency　of　the　brain　to　produce　in　them　forced　activity。　On　the　other　hand；　if　the　brain　remains　vigorous；　the　kidneys　may　take　the　strain　and　break　down；　if　the　kidneys　do　not　break；　the　blood…vessels　may　harden；　if　the　blood…vessels　are　not　affected；　the　thyroid　may　become　hyperplastic　and　produce　Graves'　disease；　if　the　thyroid　escapes；　diabetes　may　develop；　while　if　the　iron　constitution　of　the　mechanism　can　successfully　bear　the　strain　in　all　its　parts；　then　the　individual　will　break　his　competitors；　and　their　mechanisms　will　suffer　in　the　struggle。

This　whole　train　of　deleterious　results　of　body　activation　without　action　may　be　best　observed　and　studied　in　that　most　emotional　of　diseasesexophthalmic　goiter。　　In　this　disease　the　constantly　stimulated　distance　ceptors　dispossess　the　contact　ceptors　from　the　common　path；　and　drive　the　motor　mechanism　to　its　own　destruction；　and　the　patient　has　the　appearance　of　a　person　in　great　terror；　or　of　a　runner　approaching　the　end　of　a　Marathon　race　（Figs。　16　and　48　to　54）。

Exophthalmic　goiter　may　result　from　long　emotional　or　mental　stress　in　those　cases　in　which　the　thyroid　takes　the　brunt　of　the　strain　upon　the　mechanism。　　As　adrenalin　increases　blood…pressure；　so　thyroid　secretion　increases　brain　activity；　and　increased　brain　activity　in　turn　causes　an　increased　activation　of　the　motor　mechanism　as　a　whole。

We　know　that　a　deficiency　or　lack　of　thyroid　secretion　will　inhibit　sexual　emotion　and　conception；　will　produce　stu