The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-10-18
LAUGHING AND CRYING.
How These Outward Signs OF Joy and
Sorrow Affect Humaa Nature.


A. Hammond, lis a sudden revo-
luton of the emotions-that is, q
change from one emotion to another,
especially when the changes are of a
pleasant character. Thus, for instance,
when we have been reading some
thing rather calculated to excite grief
and we come to something of ridicu-
lous character our tendency is to
laugh, while if we had the ridiculous
all through we probably would not
laugh at all. Then we laugh at at
tempted wit rather than at true wit
True wit excites pleasure, but does not
produce laughter, as does buffoonery.
We laugh at the antics of aclown, but
not at the sayings of Moliere."
"What is the immediate cause of
laughtera"
1T is the reflex action excited by
the causes l have mentioned acting
through the brain and nervous sys-
tenn upon the respiratory muscles
throwing them into spasmodic action.
Laughter is spasm of the respiratory
muscles, accompanied by Relation
OF the muscles of the face and some
times by the shedding of tears"
"At what age do people laugh the
most9"
II think it is not often the case that
adult men laugh. They smile, but
laughing is in greater part confined to
women and children. A mere child
laughs readily, and an elderly person
who has long passed the middle of
life is very apt to laugh at slight
causes. This, however, is dangerous
for them to do, as they may bring on
apoplexy or drop dead from some
heart disease if they indulge too i'm
moderately. l have known several
instances of death being brought on in
this way by old people. Then persons
of enfeebled faculties will laugh at
certain things which would not ex-
cite visibility with an adult of well or
dered mind. A very curious circum-
stance connected with laughter is that,
especially with children, and some
times with women and frequently
with old people, the visible expression
of the emotion does not correspond
with their real feeling. They laugh
when surprised. l had a patient once
who laughed whenever he saw a
funeral. He meant to cry rather than
to laugh. There was another who
laughed immoderately whenever he
read the obituary columns of news
paper. He said he did so because he
felt so sorry. He would laugh from
five to ten minutes at time before he
could control himself"
DO not ignorant people laugh more
than the educatedW
Yes; that is because they have not
been so accustomed to control their
emotions as are people of refined life.
But the reasons for laughter are most
intricate. have patient who laughs
overa solemn French book he is read
ing. He laughs over it in most ex-
citable manner, and what he laughs
at l cannot imagine"
what are the facts in regard to
weeping9"
Weeping, the shedding of tears, is
rarely INDUCED in by adult men of
good minds for causes of real sorrow.
Old persons, women and children,
weep; men of well ordered minds do
not. Man does not weep as a rule
under pain; he may groan, but he
does not shed tears, though children
and women will do SO often on slight
occasions"
Nv hat produces weeping2'
Generally physical pain. Adults
do not usually express sympathy for
real suffering with tears. 1t is very
curious thing that men will witness
the real suffering of poor woman
having her leg amputated in per-
fectly stoical manner. They go to the
theatre, and seeing girl taking the
part of one in distress, shed tears dur
ing half of the play. l have looked
upon many distressing scenes I'M
moved so far as weeping is concerned,
but upon watching acted suffering |
have had tears come into my eyes. A
remarkable example of this principle
is that of Mana Sahib, the Indian mu-
tineer He could never read pitiful
story without crying over it, yet he
inflicted the most horrible tortures on
the men and women who fell into his
hands, and seemed to enjoy their mis-
cry"
TAT what age do people weep most
readily2"
The proclivity to shed tears is very
well marked in old people. especially
when they are suffering from some
brain disease, such as apoplexy, or
have suffered from it. They weep over
trifes. l had under my care at one
time one of the most eminent gentle
men of his time, who occupied post
next to the highest under the govern
ment, who would cry because his cof-
fee was cold, and yet that mans mind
in its best condition was one of the
best this country ever produced. l
have seen him cry for ten minutes on
such occasions. He was suffering
from brain disease. Some persons
can't weep even when they want to,
though the grief of those persons is
very distressing, and is very apt to
produce serious disturbance of the
nervous system, and when tears do
come it is great relief for them"
What effect do these emotions
have on peoples"
II think that laughter is better for
mankind than weepinp think