the origin and nature of emotions-第13章

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　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　battle；　or　in　the　sight　of　a　venomous　snake；　is　phylogenetically　the　same　and　causes　the　same　effects　upon　the　entire　body　as　an　operation　under　anesthesia　or　a　physical　combat　in　that　each　drives　the　motor　mechanism。　The　use　of　local　anesthetics　in　the　operative　field　prevents　nerve…currents　from　the　seat　of　injury　from　reaching　the　brain　and　there　integrating　the　entire　body　for　a　self…defensive　struggle。　　The　result；　even　though　a　part　of　the　brain　is　asleep　and　the　muscles　paralyzed；　is　the　same　as　that　produced　by　the　interception　of　the　terrifying　sound　of　the　gun；　or　of　the　sight　of　the　dangerous　reptile；　since　the　stimulation　of　the　motor　mechanism　is　prevented。

By　both　the　positive　and　the　negative　evidence　we　are　forced　to　believe　that　the　emotions　are　primitive　instinctive　reactions　which　represent　ancestral　acts；　and　that　they　therefore　utilize　the　complicated　motor　mechanism　which　has　been　developed　by　the　forces　of　evolution　as　that　best　adapted　to　fit　the　individual　for　his　struggle　with　his　environment　or　for　procreation。

The　mechanism　by　which　the　motor　acts　are　performed　and　the　mechanism　by　which　the　emotions　are　expressed　are　one　and　the　same。　These　acts　in　their　infinite　complexity　are　suggested　by　association　phylogenetic　association。　　When　our　progenitors　came　in　contact　with　any　exciting　element　in　their　environment；　action　ensued　then　and　there。　　There　was　much　actionlittle　restraint　or　emotion。　Civilized　man　is　really　in　auto…captivity。　He　is　subjected　to　innumerable　stimulations；　but　custom　and　convention　frequently　prevent　physical　action。　　When　these　stimulations　are　sufficiently　strong　but　no　action　ensues；　the　reaction　constitutes　an　emotion。　A　phylogenetic　fight　is　anger；　a　phylogenetic　flight　is　fear；　a　phylogenetic　copulation　is　sexual　love；　and　so　one　finds　in　this　conception　an　underlying　principle　which　may　be　the　key　to　an　understanding　of　the　emotions　and　of　certain　diseases。



PAIN；　LAUGHTER；　AND　CRYING＇*＇

＇*＇　Address　delivered　before　the　John　Ashhurst；　Jr。。　Surgical　Society　of　the　University　of　Pennsylvania；　May　3；　1912。

PAIN


Pain；　like　other　phenomena；　was　probably　evolved　for　a　particular　purpose　surely　for　the　good　of　the　individual；　like　fear　and　worry；　it　frequently　is　injurious。　　What　then　may　be　its　purpose？

We　postulate　that　pain　is　one　of　the　phenomena　which　result　from　a　stimulation　to　motor　action。　　When　a　barefoot　boy　steps　on　a　sharp　stone　it　is　important　that　the　injuring　contact　be　released　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　therefore　physical　injury　pain　results　and　impels　the　required　action。　　Anemia　of　the　soft　parts　at　the　points　of　pressure　results　from　prolonged　sitting　or　lying　in　one　position；　and　as　a　result　pain　compels　a　muscular　action　that　shifts　the　damaging　pressurethis　is　the　pain　of　anemia；　when　the　rays　of　the　blazing　sun　shine　directly　upon　the　retina；　pain　immediately　causes　a　protective　muscular　actionthe　lid　is　closed；　the　head　turns　awaythis　is　light　pain；　when　standing　too　close　to　a　blazing　fire　the　excessive　heat　causes　a　pain　which　results　in　the　protective　muscular　action　of　moving　awaythis　is　heat　pain；　when　the　urinary　bladder　is　acutely　overdistended　the　resultant　pain　induces　voluntary　as　well　as　involuntary　muscular　contraction　this　is　evacuation　pain；　associated　with　defecation　is　a　characteristic　warning　pain；　and　an　active　pain　which　induces　the　required　muscular　actionthis；　like　the　pain　accompanying　micturition；　is　an　evacuation　pain；　in　obstruction　of　the　urinary　passages　and　of　the　large　and　the　small　intestine　the　pain　is　exaggerated；　as　is　the　accompanying　muscular　contractionthis　is　a　pathologic　evacuation　pain；　when　the　fetus　reaches　full　term　and　labor　is　to　begin；　it　is　heralded　by　pain　which　is　associated　with　rhythmic　contractions　of　the　uterine　muscle；　later；　many　other　muscles　take　part　in　the　birth　and　pain　is　associated　with　all　these　muscular　contractionsthese　are　labor　pains；　when　a　foreign　body；　be　it　ever　so　small；　falls　upon　the　conjunctiva　or　cornea　there　results　what　is　perhaps　the　acutest　pain　known；　and　quick　and　active　muscular　action　followsthis　is　special　contact　pain。　　Special　pain　receptors　are　placed　in　certain　parts　of　the　nose；　the　pharynx；　and　the　larynx；　the　stimulation　of　which　causes　special　motor　acts；　such　as　sneezing；　hawking；　coughing。　　Curiously　vague　pains　are　associated　with　the　protective　motor　act　of　vomiting　and　with　the　sexual　motor　actsthese　may　be　termed　nausea　pains　and　pleasure　pains。　We　now　see；　therefore；　that　against　the　injurious　physical　contacts　of　environment；　against　heat　and　cold；　against　damaging　sunlight；　against　local　anemia　when　resting　or　sleeping；　the　body　is　protected　by　virtue　of　the　muscular　action　which　results　from　pain。　Then；　too；　for　the　emptying　of　the　pregnant　uterus；　for　the　evacuation　of　the　intestine　and　of　the　urinary　bladder　as　normal　acts；　and　for　the　overcoming　of　obstructions　in　these　tracts；　pain　compels　the　required　muscular　actions；　For　passing　gall…stones　and　urinary　calculi；　urgent　motor　stimuli　are　awakened　by　pain。　For　each　of　th