To William Bowman   [before 26] January [1871]¹

Dear Bowman.—

Will you kindly read over the enclosed slip, copied from a long & very valuable letter received some time ago from Donders.—² Have you seen any nearly or closely analogous cases? If so, I sh^d. much like to add a statement to this effect in the above words, as the case is rather important for me.—

From the manner in which Donders expresses himself, I presume that the secretion of tears stands in some very close relation with the spasmodic action of the orbicular muscles; for I presume that the inflamed state of the eye would not come on so suddenly & cease so suddenly.— I suppose, however, that the inflamed state might give a stronger tendency to the secretion: how is this?

The quasi spasmodic contraction of the orbiculars in violent yawning (which does not commence with expiration) is generally accompanied by secretion of tears, even occasionally to overflowing.

I know that you are so kind that you will forgive me for troubling you.—

Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

P.S. When a point tickles badly & is scratched violently, I observe that most persons close their orbiculars forcibly— why Heaven only knows, unless it be that nearly all the muscles of the body are at same time contracted & rigid. Whether tears are at same time secreted I know not.—³ Do you know any medical man likely to see patients suffering from an agony of tickling & scratching themselves, so that I could ask. But it appears so ludicrous a question, that I c^d. write only to some one to whom I could mention your name, adding that you believed that the recipient w^d. forgive so very absurd & trifling a question.—

When I began writing I did not intend to bother you with this.