THE REACTION OF THE PHYSICAL
As we have stated in our Foreword, there is a constant action and
reaction between the Mental States and the Physical Conditions. In this
book, from the nature of our subject, we have started with the phase
of the Mental State and worked from that point to the consideration of
the Physical Condition. In the same way, many physiologists start from
the phase of the Physical Condition, and work up to the Mental State.
But, starting from either phase, the candid investigator must admit
that there is an endless chain of action and reaction between Mind and
Body--between Body and Mind.
This action and reaction works along the lines of building-up as
well as tearing-down. For instance, if a person's Mental States are
positive, optimistic, cheerful and uplifting, the body will respond and
the Physical Conditions will improve. The Physical Conditions, thus
improving, will react upon the Mental States giving them a clearness
and strength greater than previously manifested. The improved Mental
State again acts upon the Physical Conditions, improving the latter
still further. And so on, an endless chain of cause and effect, each
effect becoming a cause for a subsequent effect, and each cause arising
from a preceding effect. Likewise, a depressed, harmful Mental State
will act upon the Physical Conditions, which in turn will react upon
the Mental States, and so on, in an endless chain of destructive
cause and effect. It is a striking illustration of the old Biblical
statement: "To him who hath shall be given; to him who hath not shall
be taken away even that which he hath." In improving either the Mental
State or the Physical Condition, one gives an uplift to the whole
process of action and reaction; while, whatever adversely affects
either Mental State or Physical Condition, starts into operation a
depressing and destructive process of action and reaction. The ideal
to be aimed at is, of course, "A healthy Mind in a healthy Body"--and
the two are so closely related that what affects one, favorably or
unfavorably, is sure to react upon the other.
Just as the influence of the Mental States over the Physical Conditions
has been shown to operate by means of the Sympathetic Nervous System
(controlled of course by the Subconscious Mind), so the influence
of Physical Conditions over Mental States may be explained in
physiological terms. In order to understand the reaction of the Body
upon the Mind, we have but to recall the fact that the Subconscious
Mind is the builder and preserver of the very brain-cells which are
used by the Conscious Mind in manifesting thought. And also, that the
entire Nervous System, both Cerebro-Spinal as well as Sympathetic, is
really under the control of the Subconscious Mind so far as growth
and nourishment is concerned. The very brain and nerve-centers in and
through which is manifested thought, feeling, emotion, and will, are
nourished by the Sympathetic System, and are hurt by anything affecting
the latter. The Sympathetic System joins all parts of the organism
so closely together that trouble in one part is reflected in other
parts. Just as depressing thoughts will cause the organs to function
improperly, so will the improper functioning of an organ tend to
produce depressing thoughts.
Herbert A. Parkyn, M. D., well states the action and reaction of Mind
and Body, as follows: "A tree is much like a human being. Give it
plenty of fresh air, water and a rich soil, and it will flourish. In
the same degree in which it is deprived of these does it wilt, and _the
first part of the tree to wilt when the nutrition becomes imperfect
is the top_. This is owing to the force of gravity; the blood of the
tree, the sap, having to overcome this force of nature when nourishing
the highest leaves. The blood of man is also affected by this same
force, and the moment a man's circulation begins to run down, owing to
stinted nutrition, we find that the first symptoms of trouble appear
in the head.... The brain failing to receive its accustomed amount of
blood, such troubles as impaired memory, inability to concentrate the
attention, sleeplessness, nervousness, irritableness, the blues and
slight headaches develop; and the impulses sent all over the body
becoming feebler, the various organs do not perform their functions
as satisfactorily as usual. The impulses to the stomach and bowels
becoming weaker and weaker, dyspepsia, or constipation, or both, soon
follow. As soon as these, the main organs of nutrition, are out of
order, nutrition fails rapidly and more 'head symptoms' develop. Every
impulse of the muscular system leaves the brain, and the strength
of these impulses depends upon the nutrition to the brain centers
controlling the various groups. As the nutrition to these centers
declines, the whole muscular system, including the muscles of the
bowels, becomes weaker and the patient complains that he exhausts
easily. The impulses for elimination becoming weaker, waste products
remain in the circulation, and any of the evils, which naturally follow
this state of affairs, such as rheumatism, sick-headache, biliousness,
etc., are likely to develop. The centers of the special senses feeling
the lessening of the vital fluid, such troubles as impaired vision,
impaired hearing, loss of appetite (sense of taste) and inability to
detect odors quickly soon follow. The sense of touch becomes more
acute, and it is for this reason that one in poor health becomes
hypersensitive. Lowered circulation in the mucous membrane of the
throat and nose is often the cause of nasal catarrh appearing on the
scene as an early symptom."
It will thus be seen that the Physical Conditions, perhaps originally
caused by depressing Mental States, have brought about a state
of affairs in which the brain is imperfectly nourished and which
consequently cannot think properly. The liver being out of order, the
spirits are depressed; the brain being imperfectly nourished, the
attention and will are weakened, and the patient finds it hard to use
his mind to influence his bodily conditions. The bowels not moving
properly, the waste-products poison the circulation, and the brain is
unable to think clearly. In fact, the whole physical system is often so
disturbed that a condition known as "nervous prostration" sets in, in
which it is practically impossible for the patient to hold the Mental
States which will improve the Physical Conditions. In these cases
outside help is generally necessary, unless in cases where a sudden
shock, or an urgent necessity arouses the latent mental forces of the
individual, and he asserts the power that is in him, and begins to
reverse the chain of cause and effect and to start on the upward climb.
The following additional quotation from Dr. Parkyn, gives us a vivid
insight into the effect upon the Mental States of abnormal Physical
Conditions: Dr. Parkyn says: "No organ of the body can perform
its functions properly when the amount of blood supplied to it is
insufficient, and we find, when the blood supply to the brain is not
up to the normal standard, that brain functions are interfered with
to a degree corresponding to the reduction in the circulation. Since
the amount of blood normally supplied to the brain is lessened in
nervous prostration, we find that the memory fails and the ability
to concentrate the attention disappears. The reasoning power becomes
weakened and the steadiest mind commences to vacillate. Fears and
hallucinations of every description may fill the mind of a patient
at this stage, and every impression he receives is likely to be
greatly distorted or misconstrued. Melancholia with a constant fear of
impending danger is often present. In fact, the brain seems to lose
even the power to control its functions, and the mind becomes active
day and night.... The reduction of the nutrition to the brain lessens
the activity of all the cerebral centers also, and digestion becomes
markedly impaired, thereby weakening the organ itself upon which the
supply of vital force depends."
The physiologist is able to furnish a great variety of illustrations
of the effect of Physical Conditions over Mental States. He shows
that many cases of mental trouble are due to eye-strain, and other
muscular disturbances, and that serious mental complaints sometimes
arise by reason of physical lesions. The very terms used to designate
certain abnormal mental states show the relation, as for instance,
_melancholia_ which is derived from the Greek words meaning "black
bile"; and _hysteria_, which is derived from the Greek word meaning
"the womb; or uterus." Every one knows the Mental States produced by
a sluggish liver, or by dyspepsia, or from constipation. We all know
the difference between our mental capacity for thinking when we are
tired, as contrasted with that accompanying the refreshed physical
condition. No man, whatever his philosophy, can truthfully claim to be
able to maintain a placid, even disposition, and a perfectly controlled
temper, when he is suffering from a boil on the back of his neck. And,
all know that after indulging in the midnight "Welsh rarebit," one is
apt to dream of his grandmother's ghost, or see dream elephants with
wings. All know the delirium produced by overindulgence in liquor, and
the hallucinations that accompany fever. The effect of drugs, tobacco,
and alcohol upon the Mental States are well known. "Philip drunk" is
a very different mentality from "Philip sober." The Mental States
accompanying particular diseases are well known to physicians. One
disease predisposes the sufferer to gloominess, while another will
induce a state of feverish hilarity. Some leading authorities now hold
that many cases of insanity are really due to abnormal conditions of
the blood, rather than to any diseased condition of the brain.
One of the most marked instances of the action and reaction of Mental
States and Physical Conditions is met with in the activities of
the sexual organism. Psychologists very properly hold that sexual
excesses and abnormalities are largely due to improper thinking, that
is, by allowing the attention and interest to dwell too strongly and
continuously upon subjects connected with the activities of that part
of the physical system. Mental treatment along the lines of Suggestive
Therapeutics has resulted in curing many persons of troubles of this
sort. But, note the correlated fact--excess and abnormalities of the
kind mentioned, almost invariably react upon the mentality of the
person indulging in them, and softening of the brain, paralysis, or
imbecility have often arisen directly from these physical abuses. It
will be seen that any sane treatment of these troubles must take into
consideration both Body and Mind. In the same way it is a fact that
just as certain Mental States, notably those of fear, worry, grief,
jealousy, etc., will injuriously affect the organs of digestion and
assimilation, so will imperfect functioning of these organs tend to
produce depressing mental states similar to those just mentioned. Many
instances of the strange correspondences are met with in the study of
physiological-psychology, or psychological-physiology.
In order to more fully appreciate the relation between the Body and the
Mind, let us read the following lines from Prof. Halleck: "Marvelous
as are the mind's achievements, we must note that it is as completely
dependent upon the nervous system as is a plant upon sun, rain and
air. Suppose a child of intelligent parents were ushered into the
world without a nerve leading from his otherwise perfect brain to any
portion of his body, with no optic nerve to transmit the glorious
sensations from the eye, no auditory nerve to conduct the vibrations of
the mother's voice, no tactile nerves to convey the touch of a hand,
no olfactory nerve to rouse the brain with the delicate aroma from
the orchards and the wild flowers in spring, no gustatory, thermal or
muscular nerves. Could such a child live, as the years rolled on, the
books of Shakespeare and of Milton would be opened in vain before the
child's eyes. The wisest men might talk to him with utmost eloquence,
all to no purpose. Nature could not whisper one of her inspiring truths
into his deaf ear, could not light up that dark mind with a picture
of the rainbow or of a human face. No matter how perfect might be the
child's brain and his inherited capacity for mental activities, his
faculties would remain for this life shrouded in Egyptian darkness.
Perception could give memory nothing to retain, and thought could not
weave her matchless fabrics without materials."
The very feelings or emotions themselves are so closely related
to the accompanying physical expressions, that it is difficult to
distinguish between cause and effect, or indeed to state positively
which really is the cause of the other. Prof. William James, in some
of his works, strongly indicates this close relation, as for instance
when he says: "The feeling, in the coarser emotions, result from the
bodily expression.... My theory is that the bodily changes follow
directly the perception of the exciting fact, and that our feeling
of the same changes as they occur _is_ the emotion.... Particular
perceptions certainly do produce widespread bodily effects by a
sort of immediate physical influence, antecedent to the arousal of
an emotion or emotional idea.... Every one of the bodily changes,
whatsoever it may be, is _felt_, acutely or obscurely, the moment it
occurs.... If we fancy some strong emotion, and then try to abstract
from our consciousness of it all the feelings of its bodily symptoms,
we have nothing left behind.... A disembodied human emotion is a sheer
nonentity. I do not say that it is a contradiction in the nature
of things, or that pure spirits are necessarily condemned to cold
intellectual lives; but I say that for _us_ emotion disassociated from
all bodily feelings is inconceivable. The more closely I scrutinize my
states, the more persuaded I become that whatever 'coarse' affections
and passions I have are in very truth constituted by, and made up of,
those bodily changes which we ordinarily call their expression or
consequence.... But our emotions must always be _inwardly_ what they
are, whatever may be the physiological ground of their apparition.
If they are deep, pure, worthy, spiritual facts on any conceivable
theory of their physiological source, they remain no less deep, more
spiritual, and worthy of regard on this present sensational theory."
A deeper consideration of the relation between Mind and Body would
necessitate our invading the field of metaphysical speculation, which
we have expressed our intention to avoid doing. Enough for the purposes
of our present consideration is: _the recognition that each individual
is possessed of a mind and a material body; that these two phases or
aspects of himself are closely related by an infinite variety of ties
and filaments; that these two phases of his being act and react upon
each other constantly and continuously; that in all considerations of
the question of either mental or physical well-being, or both, that
both of these phases of being must be considered; that any system of
therapeutics which ignores either of these phases, is necessarily
"one-sided" and incomplete; and that, while, for convenience and
clearness of specialized thinking, we may consider the Mind and the
Body as separate and independent of each other, yet, we must, in the
end, recognize their interdependence, mutual relation, action and
reaction._
Thus, the New Psychology recognizes the importance of the Body, while
the New Physiology recognizes the importance of the Mind. And, in the
end, we feel that both physiology and psychology must be recognized as
being but two different phases of one great science--the Science of Life.
* * * * * *
Transcriber's note:
There are two occurrences of an unmatched double quotation mark. It was
unclear where the missing opening or closing quotation mark belonged,
and no attempt was made to insert one.