Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-07

the image OF his dead father. Although Mr..
Borgquist did not 30 state, the writer
might add In this connection that there Ii
q drug-muscarine nitrate-which, when in-
jected under the skin. causes q copious now
Of tears This Is well known to French
emotional actresses. who use 1t In weeping
scenes OF such plays as Camille II Is
made from a deadly fungus-.fy agaric -
which pofsons these who mistake it for the
mushroom.
That tears are women's most effective
weapon Mr.. Borgquist IL continually re-
minded In his returned question blanks.
Ninety-six per cent Of those reporting on
the question agree upon the great effective
ness OF tears to conquer stubborn VIII or
subdue passion, when everything else
fails. Tears, although more common IN
women than in men. are more frequent In
proportion among males OF some races
than Of our own. OF the sexes generally
those who cry from anger shed few tears.
In the most intense fear there Is neither
movement nor crying. the next stage being
screaming, tears commencing to flow only
after the shock has passed Indeed, great
intensity OF any emotion. even OF sadness
most deeply seem to be least demonstrative
and feeling in these temperaments which
do not allow 1t to spend itself In express
sion remains like auiescent volcano"
Benefits of Crying.
That crying Is beneficial that a baby
who cries much is healthy. that crying is
a good means of exercise for the infant
strengthening its lungs and vocal cords
and that 1t is safety valve" for older
persons are some OF the notions expressed
in the returns of the census of weepers
In all kinds of crying except the angry
cry, the mental relief is great at all periods
of life, although the immediate physical
results are sometimes unpleasant. The
combined nhYSical exhaustion
and mental relief result often in sleep.
Compared with the great distress of the
previous mental strain the physical ex-
haustion is pleasant IL not carried too far.
A too prolonged crying fit may result,
however. In loss of appetite great physical
weakness and unusual activity of the heart,
headache. stupor, nausea or sore eyes.
Cry and Keep Youthful.
Recently crying has come to be recon-
mended as a means of physical develop
ment-of deep breathing and tone express
sion-according to Mr.. Borgquist. 1t is use
full In relieving the mental strain of the
insane and it is claimed that women who
are able to find relief in tears keep their
youth longer than those who repress them.
Crying aids a sluggish circulation and af-
fords relief to overcharged nerves.
Among the subjects of the inquiry are
two sisters who lost their mother. One
broke down at once and could not control
her grief. After the grief had expended
itself she rapidly grew cheerful and liked
to talk about her mother. The other sister
shed no tears. but went about her neces-
sary duties for a week. when she broke
down and was i'll for several weeks. When
the grief victim is left to himself. with
sluggish circulation and slow vital pro-
cesses. energy becomes lower and lower I'M
TIL there breaks out this nerve storm" Of
weeping, improving respiration and circula-
non, increasing nutrition and resting the
Of thx1 Erot.
The "Crying Face"
When we cry there are violent expirations
from the lungs distending the blood vessels
of the eye. To prevent the eyes becoming
gorged with blood the eyelid contracts and
squeezes the eye tightly against its socket.
This contraction causes the tear glands to
overflow. These movements raise the inner
ends OF eyebrows and send the corners or
the mouth downward and outward
Tears are solutions Of salt and phosphate
OF lime, according to another investiga tor
to whom the writer Is indebted. This solu-
ton is natures eyewash. so to speak, and
its function is to keep the seeing orbs
thoroughly cleansed, soft and limpid. Thus
women who shed tears more freely have
brighter eyes than others. A tear drop dried
upon bit of glass appears to the naked
highly magnified Is seen to contain myriad
crystals resembling ferns, crosses and
stars.
Animal Tears.
Some of the higher animals shed tears.
Darwin reports that the Indian elephant is
known sometimes to weep tears. One
species of monkey is also known to shed
copious tears, but it appears that the ape,
although mans nearest relative, has no
tear glands, and therefore cannot give
aqueous expression to his emotional per-
turbations.
JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS.