Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-10-03
LAUGHING AND CRYING.
How These tvs Signs of Joy N
sorrow Affect Human Nature.

81 suppose the most prominent
cause of laughter" says DIR. William
A. Hammond, sis a sudden rev
luton of the emotions-that is, a
change from n 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 a ridicu
lous character u tendency is 10
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
laughterR"
1T is the reflex action excited by
the causes | have mentioned acting
through the brain and nervous sys-
tenn upon the respiratory muscles
throwing them into spasmodic action.
Laughter is a spasm OF the respiratory
muscles, accompanied by a Relation
Of the muscles Of the face and some.
times by the shedding Of tears"
AT what age do people laugh the
most2"
Il think it is not often the ease 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
causcs. This. however. is dangerous
for them Ia do. rs they may bring On
apopleXy or drop dead from some
heart disease if they indulge too I'M
moderately. have known several
instances Of death being brought on in
this way 10y old people. Then persons
of eufuchlrd faculties will laugh at
certain things which would not ex.
cite visibility with AN adult of well or.
dercd mind. \ very curious clrcunl-
stance connected with laughter il that,
especially with children. aud some
times with wouien and frequently
with old people. the visible expression
of the emotion docs not correspond
with their real feeling, Ilcy laugh
when surpriN H. ! had a pgtint once
who laughed whenever he saw a
funeral. Tie meant to cry rather lllan
10 laugh. There WAS another who
laughed immediately whenever he
read the obituary columns Of "a news
paper. He said he did 50 berauS, he
felt so sorry. He would laugh from
five 10 ten minutes at a time before he
could control himself"
"Do not ignorant people laugh more
than TIE "uUCltUli
Yes, thai is because they have not
been 50 accustomed To control their
emotions as are people ui refined life.
Eat the caSuu for laughter are most
intricate. ! huvca patient who laughs
uycra solemn Fwucn book hc is read
ing. He laughs owe IL la "a most *
ciiab'c w@Uurr and what he laughs
at ] caGuUt imagine
What are Tie facts in regard to
weeping
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; mrn of well ordered minds do
not. Man does not weep MS a rule
under pain; hc may groan. but lie
does not Sized tears, though children
and women will do 80 often on slight
occasions.
What produces wcgpingi"
Generally physical pain. Adults
do moi u>uaily express Sympathy for
real suffering with tears. II is "A very
curious thing that men wiil witness
the real suffering Of a poor woman
having her leg amputa'oj in a per-
iectly stuicai manner. They go 10 the
theatre, and seeing a girl mking the
part of one IN distress, shed tears dur
ing half Of the play. / have looked
upon many distressing sccrics un.
moved 80 far rs 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-
timer. He could never read a pitiful
story without crying over il. yet he
inflicted the most horrible t0rtures on
the men and women who fell into bis
hands, and seemed to enjoy their mis-
cry"
''At what age do people wccp most
readilyf'
The procliyity to shed tears is very
well marked in old people, especially
when they are suffering from some
brain disease. such as apopleNy, or
have suffered from il, They weep over
trifles. | had under my care at one
time one Of the most eminent gentle
men of his time, who occupied a post
next 10 the highest under the govern
mcnt, who would cry because his cof-
fee was cold, aud yet that mans mind
ia rs best condition was one Of the
best this country ever produced. |
have seen him cry for ten minutes on
such occasions. He YVES suffering
from Jram discasa, Some persons
can't weep ~ when they want 20,
though the grief Of those persons is
very distressing, and is very apt 10
produce serious disturbance Of tho
nervous system, aud when Tears do
come il j, "A great relief for them.
"What effect do these emotions
have on pc0plUF'
81 think that laughter is better for
mankind than weeping ! think
those mnu.cmeuts which tend 10 pro-
ducc laughter tend, other things being