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Illustrations of the Influence of the Mind upon the Body in Health and Disease, with especial reference to the Imagination

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 February 2018

Extract

(II.) The Emotions act upon the Heart and non-striated muscles with a power equal to, if not greater than, that which they exercise over the voluntary or striated muscles; causing contraction, spasm, and paralysis.

Type
Part I.—Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1871 

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References

Lectures on the Spinal Cord. “Medical Times and Gazette,” Aug. 17,1861. Principles of Physiology, Sydenham Society, p. 170Google Scholar

Since Moleschott's experiments, those of M Mi Cyon and Ludwig would appear to indicate the existence of accelerator and depressor nerves of the heart, the former emerging from the cord with the third branch of the inferior cervical ganglion, and the latter arising (in rabbits) from the pneumogastric and superior laryngeal nerves. Whether this conclusion be established or not, their experiments tend to show that one channel through which nervous influence is exerted upon the heart is that of the splanchnics as vaso-motor nerves. (Vide Biennial Retrospect, N. IS. £., 1869.)Google Scholar

In the “Medical Times and Gazette,” July 27, 1861, is a retwmé of the Professor's conclusions, from which the foregoing is derived.Google Scholar

Having read Dr. Waller's paper (May 12, 1870) on the functions of the vagus, in the abstract of the proceedings of the Royal Society, I wish to add that if his conclusion that it is a spinal nerve, and unconnected with the heart, be confirmed, it altogether supports the view that the heart is exclusively supplied by sympathetic fibres, only it is no longer necessary to find reasons for the will not acting on the heart through the vagus, and the simple result is obtained that t) e emotions influence this organ solely through the acknowledged sympathetic nerves.Google Scholar

See also “Manual of Psychological Medicine,” 2nd Edit., p. 174.Google Scholar

The interesting fact has just been recorded by Mr. Frank Buckland, in “Land and Water,” that a hippopotamus, being excessively savage after her confinement, perspired profusely, the perspiration being the colour of blood. Professor Gulliver found on examination that it contained numerous blood-corpuscles.Google Scholar

The LXX in Prov. XII, 10, render it by ewkayxya (bowels, i.e. tender mercies).Google Scholar

Referring to the case of (so called) Emotional Paralysis, given in the Jan. number of this Journal (p. 558), I am able to add, through the kindness of Dr. Lockhart Clarke, a report of his examination of the brain. The pia-mater generally was very much thickened. The grey substance of the convolutions had an unusually pink colour. On the right side from behind forward through the posterior and middle lobes, nothing more unequal was observed until reaching the optic thalamus. At the deeper part of this body, and in the cerebral substance, on its outer side, there was a great deal of red softening. Patches of red softening were also found at the anterior part of the corpus striatum. On the left side of the brain there was found, in the middle of the optic thalamus, a cavity or cyst about the size of a pea, and containing a yellowish fluid outside the thalamus, the cerebral substance was Hof tened, reddish-black in colour, and infiltrated with fluid, which, under the microscope, was found to be loaded with exudation, or compound granular corpuscles. The cebral matter itself contained these bodies in abundance, besides a vast number of molecular particles In the central white substance of the cerebellum, around the corpus dentatum on each side, there were two or three small cysts. One of them contained a perfectly milky fluid, which consisted of fat and oil-particles. The medulla oblongata was softened and unhealthy along the fourth ventricle. Nothing remarkable was found in the spiual cord.Google Scholar

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