the expression of emotion in man and animals-第51部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
y furrowed in diverging lines; produced by the powerful and persistent contraction of the corrugators。
Mr。 Bell has also described'19' an agony of terror and of despair; which he witnessed in a murderer; whilst carried to the place of execution in Turin。 〃On each side of the car the officiating priests were seated; and in the centre sat the criminal himself。 It was impossible to witness the condition of this unhappy wretch without terror; and yet; as if impelled by some strange infatuation; it was equally impossible not to gaze upon an object so wild; so full of horror。 He seemed about thirty…five years of age; of large and muscular form; his countenance marked by strong and savage features; half naked; pale as death; agonized with terror; every limb strained in anguish; his hands clenched convulsively; the sweat breaking out on his bent and contracted brow; he kissed incessantly the figure of our Saviour; painted on the flag which was suspended before him; but with an agony of wildness and despair; of which nothing ever exhibited on the stage can give the slightest conception。〃
I will add only one other case; illustrative of a man utterly prostrated by terror。 An atrocious murderer of two persons was brought into a hospital; under the mistaken impression that he had poisoned himself; and Dr。 W。 Ogle carefully watched him the next morning; while he was being handcuffed and taken away by the police。 His pallor was extreme; and his prostration so great that he was hardly able to dress himself。 His skin perspired; and his eyelids and head drooped so much that it was impossible to catch even a glimpse of his eyes。 His lower jaw hung down。 There was no contraction of any facial muscle; and Dr。 Ogle is almost certain that the hair did not stand on end; for he observed it narrowly; as it had been dyed for the sake of concealment。
'19' ‘Observations on Italy;' 1825; p。 48; as quoted in 'The Anatomy of Expression;' p。 168。
With respect to fear; as exhibited by the various races of man; my informants agree that the signs are the same as with Europeans。 They are displayed in an exaggerated degree with the Hindoos and natives of Ceylon。 Mr。 Geach has seen Malays when terrified turn pale and shake; and Mr。 Brough Smyth states that a native Australian 〃being on one occasion much frightened; showed a complexion as nearly approaching to what we call paleness; as can well be conceived in the case of a very black man。〃 Mr。 Dyson Lacy has seen extreme fear shown in an Australian; by a nervous twitching of the hands; feet; and lips; and by the perspiration standing on the skin。 Many savages do not repress the signs of fear so much as Europeans; and they often tremble greatly。 With the Kafir; Gaika says; in his rather quaint English; the shaking 〃of the body is much experienced; and the eyes are widely open。〃 With savages; the sphincter muscles are often relaxed; just as may be observed in much frightened dogs; and as I have seen with monkeys when terrified by being caught。
_The erection of the hair_。Some of the signs of fear deserve a little further consideration。 Poets continually speak of the hair standing on end; Brutus says to the ghost of Caesar; 〃that mak'st my blood cold; and my hair to stare。〃 And Cardinal Beaufort; after the murder of Gloucester exclaims; 〃Comb down his hair; look; look; it stands upright。〃 As I did not feel sure whether writers of fiction might not have applied to man what they had often observed in animals; I begged for information from Dr。 Crichton Browne with respect to the insane。 He states in answer that he has repeatedly seen their hair erected under the influence of sudden and extreme terror。 For instance; it is occasionally necessary to inject morphia; under the skin of an insane woman; who dreads the operation extremely; though it causes very little pain; for she believes that poison is being introduced into her system; and that her bones will be softened; and her flesh turned into dust。 She becomes deadly pale; her limbs are stiffened by a sort of tetanic spasm; and her hair is partially erected on the front of the head。
Dr。 Browne further remarks that the bristling of the hair which is so common in the insane; is not always associated with terror。 It is perhaps most frequently seen in chronic maniacs; who rave incoherently and have destructive impulses; but it is during their paroxysms of violence that the bristling is most observable。 The fact of the hair becoming erect under the influence both of rage and fear agrees perfectly with what we have seen in the lower animals。 Dr。 Browne adduces several cases in evidence。 Thus with a man now in the Asylum; before the recurrence of each maniacal paroxysm; 〃the hair rises up from his forehead like the mane of a Shetland pony。〃 He has sent me photographs of two women; taken in the intervals between their paroxysms; and he adds with respect to one of these women; 〃that the state of her hair is a sure and convenient criterion of her mental condition。〃 I have had one of these photographs copied; and the engraving gives; if viewed from a little distance; a faithful representation of the original; with the exception that the hair appears rather too coarse and too much curled。 The extraordinary condition of the hair in the insane is due; not only to its erection; but to its dryness and harshness; consequent on the subcutaneous glands failing to act。 Dr。 Bucknill has said'20' that a lunatic 〃is a lunatic to his finger's ends;〃 he might have added; and often to the extremity of each particular hair。
Dr。 Browne mentions as an empirical confirmation of the relation which exists in the insane between the state of their hair and minds; that the wife of a medical man; who has charge of a lady suffering from acute melancholia; with a strong fear of death; for herself; her husband and children; reported verbally to him the day before receiving my letter as follows; 〃I think Mrs。 will soon improve; for her hair is getting smooth; and I always notice that our patients get better whenever their hair ceases to be rough and unmanageable。〃
Dr。 Browne attributes the persistently rough condition of the hair in many insane patients; in part to their minds being always somewhat disturbed; and in part to the effects of habit;that is; to the hair being frequently and strongly erected during their many recurrent paroxysms。 In patients in whom the bristling of the hair is extreme; the disease is generally permanent and mortal; but in others; in whom the bristling is moderate; as soon as they recover their health of mind the hair recovers its smoothness。
'20' Quoted by Dr。 Maudsley; ‘Body and Mind;' 1870; p。 41。
In a previous chapter we have seen that with animals the hairs are erected by the contraction of minute; unstriped; and involuntary muscles; which run to each separate follicle。 In addition to this action; Mr。 J。 Wood has clearly ascertained by experiment; as he informs me; that with man the hairs on the front of the head which slope forwards; and those on the back which slope backwards; are raised in opposite directions by the contraction of the occipito…frontalis or scalp muscle。 So that this muscle seems to aid in the erection of the hairs on the head of man。 in the same manner as the homologous _panniculus carnosus_ aids; or takes the greater part; in the erection of the spines on the backs of some of the lower animals。
_Contraction of the platysma myoides muscle_。This muscle is spread over the sides of the neck; extending downwards to a little beneath the collar…bones; and upwards to the lower part of the cheeks。 A portion; called the risorius; is represented in the woodcut (M) fig。 2。 The contraction of this muscle draws the corners of the mouth and the lower parts of the checks downwards and backwards。 It produces at the same time divergent; longitudinal; prominent ridges on the sides of the neck in the young; and; in old thin persons; fine transverse wrinkles。 This muscle is sometimes said not to be under the control of the will; but almost every one; if told to draw the corners of his mouth backwards and downwards with great force; brings it into action。 I have; however; heard of a man who can voluntarily act on it only on one side of his neck。
Sir C。 Bell'21' and others have stated that this muscle is strongly contracted under the influence of fear; and Duchenne insists so strongly on its importance in the expression of this emotion; that he calls it the _muscle of fright_。'22' He admits; however; that its contraction is quite inexpressive unless associated with widely open eyes and mouth。 He has given a photograph (copied and reduced in the accompanying woodcut) of the same old man as on former occasions; with his eyebrows strongly raised; his mouth opened; and the platysma contracted; all by means of galvanism。 The original photograph was shown to twenty…four persons; and they were separately asked; without any explanation being given; what expression was intended: twenty instantly answered; 〃intense fright〃 or 〃horror;〃 three said pain; and one extreme discomfort。 Dr。 Duchenne has given another photograph of the same old man; with the platysma contracted; the eyes and mouth opened; and the eyebrows rendered oblique; by means of galvanism。 The expression thus induced is very striking (see Plate VII。 fig。 2); the obliquity of the eyebrows adding the appearance of great mental distress。 The original was shown to fifteen persons; twelve answered terror or horror; and three agony or great suffering。 From these cases; and from an examination of the other photographs given by Dr。 Duchenne; together with his remarks thereon; I think there can be little doubt that the contraction of the platysma does add greatly to the expression of fear。 Nevertheless this muscle ought hardly to be called that of fright; for its contraction is certainly not a necessary concomitant of this state of mind。
'21' ‘Anatomy of Expression;' p。 168。
'22' Mecanisme de la Phys。 Humaine; Album; Legende xi。 A man may exhibit extreme terror in the plainest manner by death…like pallor; by drops of perspiration on his skin; and by utter prostration; with all the muscles of his body; including the platysma; completely relaxed。 Although Dr。 Browne h