[38] See American Journal of Physiology, 1913, 1914.
[39] Cannon and Murphy: Journal of the American Medical Association, 1907, xlix, p. 840.
[40] Boldireff: Loc. cit., pp. 108–111.
[41] Cannon: American Journal of Physiology, 1911, xxix, p. 250.
[42] Haudek and Stigler: Archiv für die gesammte Physiologie, 1910, cxxxiii, p. 159.
CHAPTER XIV
THE INTERRELATIONS OF EMOTIONS
Emotions gain expression through discharges along the neurones of the autonomic nervous system. The reader will recall that this system has three divisions—the cranial and sacral, separated by the sympathetic—and that when the neurones of the mid-division meet in any organ the neurones of either of the end divisions, the influence of the two sets is antagonistic. As previously stated ([p. 35]), there is evidence that arrangements exist in the central nervous system for reciprocal innervation of these antagonistic divisions, just as there is reciprocal innervation of antagonistic skeletal muscles. The characteristic affective states manifested in the working of these three divisions have been described. Undoubtedly, these states have correspondents—activities and inhibitions—in the central neurones. The question now arises, are the states which appear in opposed divisions also in opposition?
Antagonism Between Emotions Expressed in the Sympathetic and in the Cranial Divisions of the Autonomic System
The cranial autonomic, as already shown, is concerned with the quiet service of building up reserves and fortifying the body against times of stress. Accompanying these functions are the relatively mild pleasures of sight and taste and smell of food. The possibility of existence of these gentle delights of eating and drinking and also of their physiological consequences is instantly abolished in the presence of emotions which activate the sympathetic division. The secretion of saliva, gastric juice, pancreatic juice and bile is stopped, and the motions of the stomach and intestines cease at once, both in man and in the lower animals, whenever pain, fear, rage, or other strong excitement is present in the organism.