the origin and nature of emotions-第22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！


　opposed　to　wrong　conduct…a　self…　and　species…destructive　course　of　action。

By　forcefully　imparting　to　his　patient　the　knowledge　of　the　far…reaching　effects　of　protracted　emotional　strain；　of　overwork；　and　of　worry；　the　physician　will　automatically　raise　his　threshold　to　the　damaging　activating　stimuli　which　have　produced　the　evil　results。　Even　though　some　parts　of　his　organism　may　have　been　permanently　disabled；　a　patient　thus　protected　may　yet　rise　to　a　plane　of　poise　and　efficiency　far　above　that　of　his　uncontrolled　fellows。

In　extreme　cases　it　does　not　seem　unreasonable　to　believe　that　the　uncontrolled　patient　might　be　rescued　by　the　same　principle　which　has　proved　effective　in　saving　patients　from　the　emotional　and　traumatic　strain　of　surgical　operationsthe　principle　of　anoci…association。　That　is；　by　disconnecting　one　or　more　of　the　activating　organs　from　the　brain；　the　motor　mechanism　might　be　saved　from　its　self…destruction。

Under　this　hypothesis；　that　man　in　disease；　as　in　health；　is　the　product　of　his　phylogeny　as　well　as　of　ontogeny；　the　sphere　of　the　physician's　activities　takes　on　new　aspects　of　far…reaching　and　inspiring　significance。　　Prognosis　will　become　definite　in　proportion　to　the　physician's　knowledge　not　only　of　the　ontogenetic　history　of　the　individual　patient；　but　also　of　the　phylogenetic　history　of　the　race。　As　that　knowledge　increases；　as　he　appreciates　more　and　more　keenly　the　significance　of　environment　in　its　effect　upon　individual　development；　in　so　far　will　the　physician　be　in　a　position　to　contribute　mightily　to　the　welfare　of　the　race。



THE　KINETIC　SYSTEM＇*＇


＇*＇　Address　delivered　before　the　New　York　State　Medical　Society；　April　28；　1914；　to　which　has　been　added　a　further　note　regarding　studies　of　hydrogen　ion　concentration　in　the　blood。


In　this　paper　I　formulate　a　theory　which　I　hope　will　harmonize　a　large　number　of　clinical　and　experimental　data；　supply　an　interpretation　of　certain　diseases；　and　show　by　what　means　many　diverse　causes　produce　the　same　end　effects。

Even　should　the　theory　prove　ultimately　to　be　true；　it　will　in　the　mean　time　doubtless　be　subjected　to　many　alterations。　　The　specialized　laboratory　worker　will；　at　first；　fail　to　see　the　broader　clinical　view；　and　the　trained　clinician　may　hesitate　to　accept　the　laboratory　findings。　Our　viewpoint　has　been　gained　from　a　consideration　of　both　lines　of　evidence　on　rather　a　large　scale。

The　responsibility　for　the　kinetic　theory　is　assumed　by　myself；　while　the　responsibility　for　the　experimental　data　is　shared　fully　by　my　associates；　Dr。　J。　B。　Austin；　Dr。　F。　W。　Hitchings；　Dr。　H。　G。　Sloan；　and　Dr。　M。　L。　Menten。＇t＇


＇t＇　From　H。　K。　Cushing　Laboratory　of　Experimental　Medicine；　Western　Reserve　University；　Cleveland。


Introduction

The　self…preservation　of　man　and　kindred　animals　is　effected　through　mechanisms　which　transform　latent　energy　into　kinetic　energy　to　accomplish　adaptive　ends。　　Man　appropriates　from　environment　the　energy　he　requires　in　the　form　of　crude　food　which　is　refined　by　the　digestive　system；　oxygen　is　taken　to　the　blood　and　carbon　dioxid　is　taken　from　the　blood　by　the　respiratory　system；　to　and　from　the　myriads　of　working　cells　of　the　body；　food　and　oxygen　and　waste　are　carried　by　the　circulatory　system；　the　body　is　cleared　of　waste　by　the　urinary　system；　procreation　is　accomplished　through　the　genital　system；　but　none　of　these　systems　was　evolved　primarily　for　the　purpose　of　transforming　potential　energy　into　kinetic　energy　for　specific　ends。　　Each　system　transforms　such　amounts　of　potential　into　kinetic　energy　as　are　required　to　perform　its　specific　work；　but　no　one　of　them　transforms　latent　into　kinetic　energy　for　the　purposes　of　escaping；　fighting；　pursuing；　nor　for　combating　infection。　The　stomach；　the　kidneys；　the　lungs；　the　heart　strike　no　physical　blow…their　role　is　to　do　certain　work　to　the　end　that　the　blow　may　be　struck　by　another　system　evolved　for　that　purpose。　　I　propose　to　offer　evidence　that　there　is　in　the　body　a　system　evolved　primarily　for　the　transformation　of　latent　energy　into　motion　and　into　heat。　This　system　I　propose　to　designate　〃The　Kinetic　System。〃

The　kinetic　system　does　not　directly　circulate　the　blood；　nor　does　it　exchange　oxygen　and　carbon　dioxid；　nor　does　it　perform　the　functions　of　digestion；　urinary　elimination；　and　procreation；　but　though　the　kinetic　system　does　not　directly　perform　these　functions；　it　does　play　indirectly　an　important　role　in　each；　just　as　the　kinetic　system　itself　is　aided　indirectly　by　the　other　systems。

The　principal　organs　which　comprise　the　kinetic　system　are　the　brain；　the　thyroid；　the　adrenals；　the　liver；　and　the　muscles。　The　brain　is　the　great　central　battery　which　drives　the　body；　the　thyroid　governs　the　conditions　favoring　tissue　oxidation；　the　adrenals　govern　immediate　oxidation　processes；　the　liver　fabricates　and　stores　glycogen；　and　the　muscles　are　the　great　converters　of　latent　energy　into　heat　and　motion。

Adrenalin　alone；　thyroid　extract　alone；　brain　activity　alone；　and　muscular　activity　alone　are　capable　of　causing　the　body　temperature　to　rise　above　the　normal。　　The　functional　activity　of　no　other　gland　of　the　body　alone；　and　the　secretion　of　no　other　gland　alone；　can　cause　a　comparable　rise　in　body　temperaturethat　is；　neither　increased　functional　activity　nor　any　active　principle　derived　from　the　kidney；　the　liver；　the　stomach；　the　pancreas；　the　hypophysis；　the　parathyroids；　the　spleen；　the　intestines；　the　thymus；　the　lymphatic　glands；　or　the　bones　can；　_per　se_；　cause　a　rise　in　the　general　body　temperature　comparable　to　the　rise　that　may　be　caused　by　the　activity　of　the　brain　or　the　muscles；　or　by　the　injection　of　adrenalin　or　thyroid　extract。　　Then；　too；　when　the　brain；　the　thyroid；　the　adrenals；　the　liver；　or　the　muscles　are　eliminated；　the　power　of　the　body　to　convert　latent　into　kinetic　energy　is　impaired　or　lost。　I　shall　offer　evidence　tending　to　show　that　an　excess　of　either　internal　or　external　environmental　stimuli　may　modify　one　or　more　organs　of　the　kinetic　system；　and　that　this　modification　may　cause　certain　diseases。　　For　example；　alterations　in　the　efficiency　of　the　cerebral　link　may　yield　neurasthenia；　mania；　dementia；　of　the　thyroid　link；　Graves'　disease；　myxedema；　of　the　adrenal　link；　Addison's　disease；　cardiovascular　disease。

This　introduction　may　serve　to　give　the　line　of　our　argument。　We　shall　now　consider　briefly　certain　salient　facts　which　relate　to　the　conversion　of　latent　into　kinetic　energy　as　an　adaptive　reaction。　The　experimental　data　are　so　many　that　they　will　later　be　published　in　a　monograph。

The　amount　of　latent　energy　which　may　be　converted　into　kinetic　energy　for　adaptive　ends　varies　in　different　species；　in　individuals　of　the　same　species；　in　the　same　individual　in　different　seasons；　in　the　life　cycle　of　growth；　reproduction　and　decay；　in　the　waking　and　sleeping　hours；　in　disease　and　in　activity。　We　shall　here　consider　briefly　the　reasons　for　some　of　those　variations　and　the　mechanisms　which　make　them　possible。


Biologic　Consideration　of　the　Adaptive　Variation　in　Amounts　of　Energy　Stored　in　Various　Animals

Energy　is　appropriated　from　the　physical　forces　of　nature　that　constitute　the　environment。　　This　energy　is　stored　in　the　body　in　quantities　in　excess　of　the　needs　of　the　moment。　In　some　animals　this　excess　storage　is　greater　than　in　other　animals。　Those　animals　whose　self…preservation　is　dependent　on　purely　mechanical　or　chemical　means　of　defensesuch　animals　as　crustaceans；　porcupines；　skunks　or　cobrashave　a　relatively　small　amount　of　convertible　（adaptive）　energy　stored　in　their　bodies。　On　the　contrary；　the　more　an　animal　is　dependent　on　its　muscular　activity　for　self…preservation；　the　more　surplus　available　（adaptive）　energy　there　is　stored　in　its　body。　　It　may　be　true　that　all　animals　have　approximately　an　equal　amount　per　kilo　of　chemical　energy　but　certainly　they　have　not　an　equal　amount　stored　in　a　form　which　is　available　for　immediate　conversion　for　adaptive　ends。　Adaptive　Variation　in　the　Rate　of　Energy　Discharge

What　chance　for　survival　would　a　skunk　have　without　odor；　a　cobra　without　venom；　a　turtle　without　carapace；　or　a　porcupine　shorn　of　its　barbs；　in　an　environment　of　powerful　and　hostile　carnivora？　And　yet　in　such　an　hostile　environment　many　unprotected　animals　survive　by　their　muscular　power　of　flight　alone。　　It　is　evident　that　the　provision　for　the　storage　of　〃adaptive〃　energy　is　not　the　only　evolved　characteristic　which　relates　to　the　energy　of　the　body。　The　more　the　self…preservation　of　the　animal　depends　on　motor　activity；　the　greater　is　the　range　of　variation　in　the　rate　of　discharge　of　energy。　The　rate　of　energy　discharge　is　especially　high　in　animals　evolved　along　the　line　of　hunter　and　hunted；　such　as　the　carnivora　and　the　herbivora　of　the　great　plains。


Influences　That　Cause　Variation　in　the　Rate　of　Output　of　Energy　in　the　Individual

Not　only　is　there　a　variation　in　the　rate　of　output　of　energy　among　various　species　of　animals；　but　one　finds　also　variations　in　the　rate　of　output　of　energy　among　individuals　of　the　same　species。　If　our　thesis　that　men　and　animals　are　mechanisms　responding　to　environmental　stimuli　be　correct；　and　further；　if　the　speed　of　energy　output　be　due　to　changes　in　the　activating　organs　as　a　result　of　adaptive　stimulation；　then　we　should　expect　to　find　physical　changes　in　the　activating　glands　during　the　cycles　of　increased　activation。　What　are　the　facts？　　We　know　that　most　animals　have　breeding　seasons　evolved　as　adaptations　to　the　food　supply　and　weather。　Hence　there　is　in　most　animals　a　mating　season　in　advance　of　the　season　of　maximum　food　supply　so　that　the　young　may　appear　at　the　period　when　food　is　most　abundant。　　In　the　springtime　most　birds　and　mammals　mate；　and　in　the　springtime　at　least　one　of　the　great　activating　glands　is　enlargedthe　thyroid　in　man　and　in　animals　shows　seasonal　enlargement。　　The　effect　of　the　increased　activity　is　seen　in　the　song；　the　courting；　the　fighting；　in　the　quickened　pulse；　and　in　a　slightly　raised　temperature。　　Even　more　activation　than　that　connected　with　the　season　is　seen　in　the　physical　state　of　mating；　when　the　thyroid　is　known　to　enlarge　materially；　though　this　increased　act