The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-10-12
Fear and Joy, Its Scientific Aspects.

In the terror stricken being we find one
important source of the phenomena OF
fear, in the impulses which proceed from
the brain to the sympathetic system OF
nerves. Passing through the spinal cord,
and finishing its swift course in turn to
the sympathetic fibers, the fear laden
impulse comes to effect the blood vessels.
The part which the sympathetic nerves
chiefly supply are those which under
ordinary circumstances are Involuntary,
or without the command of the will.
No organ better exemplifies this state
ment than the heart-the mystical seat
of all emotions, as, indeed, it, in an &C
tual and real sense, responds to the sway
of the feelings. In greater part the ner-
vous supply to the heart and stomach is
derived from sympathetic source, and
equally important is it to note that the
delicate muscles which invest the blood
vessels are also supplied from the latter
system. Investigation has shown that
the general condition of the heart and
blood vessels, their various states Of
contraction and relaxation, and conse-
quently the determination of the guam
tity OF blood supplied to any given part,
are 80 many results dependent upon the
action of the sympathetic nerves. The
pale cheek and fluttering heart are,
therefore, caused by the sharp contrac-
tion of the blood vessels supplying the
parts, and by the impulse which has
through the mystic action Of the brain,
and ordered as by some watchful opera
tor or pointsman, been turned into the
sympathetic channel. While probably
from the heart blood vessels, in their
turn, may be transmitted the impulse to
muscles and other organs which cause
the knees to shake, and the whole frame
to participate in the unwonted and dis
agreeable sensations. Associated with
fear we frequently see the phenomena of
anger, which may, as we all know, be in
duced by a direct stimulus, such as a
blow or insult; or indirectly or by the
remembrance of either. In the latter case
the emotions are greater within the brain,
but how remarkably identical may they
appears in their exhibition with these
excited directly! In violent anger
the physiological actions which take
place appear to be the reverse of those
that produce the symptoms of fear
just as the purely mental states are of
opposite character. The blood vessels,
in the angry man are no longer con-
tracted, but are dilated and full. The
heart is not contracted, and weakly in
pulsation, but beats strongly, and forces
the vital stream into each part of the
body; and to no organ is the blood cur
rent more strongly propelled than to the
brain itself. The brain of the fiercely
angry man is turgid and red, its blood
vessels are gorged and full; and the
blood pressure is increased, and some
times injuriously or fatally increased,
from the normal standard, since, as we
all know, the weakened frame may some
times fall senseless to the ground in a
paroxysm of temper, from the shear
congestion of the great nerve center, OF
from some more serious cause. Physl-
olOgy breaches no more impressive dis,
course, therefore, than when it warns us
to beware of anger, and of all unbridled
and like passions. Repeated attacks OF
what ordinary people call bad temper u
are in reality, and from their effects upon
the nervous centers, much more serious
matters than are generally supposed.
And wise indeed are the words of a well
known physician, when he maintains
that there are very few men or women
who can afford to be angry on this ac-
count; while no less forcibly does our
subject illustrate the wise mans aphor.
ism that "He that is slow to anger il
better than the mighty" In the physi
illogical production of joy and gladnes'
there is much akin to the production
of anger. There is the came activity in
the circulation, and the same quick
breathing, with the result of more per
pefectly and fully oxygenating the blood
But there is also the absence of the more
paroxysmal and violent inroad of symp
toms, while the general expression O
the joyful person is much modified from
that Of the angry man. Very curious Ii
it to think of the near identity of emo
tions which produce, say, in the muscles
of the face, effects of SO widely diver
| Gent character