RECORD: Darwin, C. R. n.d. Huxley on Paget / Queries to Mr Foster. CUL-DAR195.1.11-13. (Cite as: John van Wyhe ed., 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 5.2022. RN2
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volume CUL-DAR195 contains materials for Darwin's book Expression of the emotions (1872) organised roughly as: DAR195.1 blushing. DAR195.2 astonishment, fear. DAR195.3 indignation, rage, screaming, etc. DAR195.4 laughter, frowning, introduction.
(1
Huxley on Paget
When a man stands before a fire & his face redden, — does the heat act directly on the nerves or muscles of the capillaries — or do centripetal nerves transmit some effect from the heat on the surface, to the vaso-motor ganglia, & these by reflex action cause the capillaries to dilate? (a)
It is admitted by my physician
When we closely direct our attention to any part, so that we sharpen a sense, feel a pain more acutely in am injured part, feel some general odd uneasiness in an uninjured part, or many think intently about it & are thus rendered conscious of one being for instance a little finger, is it known what takes place? Must not the nerves (what nerves?) running to the sense-organ or little finger be somehow affected?
I presume there cd be told by King whether [illeg] wd cause action to [illeg], when sympathetic nerve of a part divided
(a) If this latter contingency be the true one, & the sympathetic nerves of the face were cut before they entered any ganglia, the face would not redden before the fire, or conversely grow pale from cold.
(2)
Secondly: if we think of any part of our body, we become conscious of its existence; & if we think intently on it odd sensations (Sir H. Holland) may then felt they then may be muscular; but its path appear that some direct effect is often & thus locally produced, as in the case of glands & the uterus in the sharpening of the senses &c. (1) (2) Now, & this is my special query when I think intently on the & become conscious of its existence
In other cases, where glands are not concerned Can it be supposed in that effect as produced by closer attention to that part extending through (1) the vaso-motor ganglia, modifying the capillary circulation of the spot? In the case of glands I infer from Pagets writing that nerve power probably acts directly on (1) the scaly cells, as well as on the capillary circulation.
When I think of acid foodsmy salivary glands act. — can this be accounted for solely by an influence from the sensorium proceeding to vaso-motor ganglia which serve to supply these glands. I see Paget is inclined to admit to existence of [illeg] nerve.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
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