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Updated: June 17, 2025
Thus when any extraneous material on the eye-ball, or the dryness of the external covering of it, or the coldness of the air, or the acrimony of some vapours, as of onions, stimulates the excretory duct of the lacrymal gland, it discharges its contents upon the ball; a quicker secretion takes place in the gland, and abundant tears succeed, to moisten, clean, and lubricate the eye.
The lacrymal gland drinks up a certain fluid from the circumfluent blood, and pours it on the ball of the eye, on the upper part of the external corner of the eyelids.
The irritation of the sensory nerves in the nasal passages by smelling such substances as onions, or pungent salts, often causes a copious flow of tears. Lacrymal Gland and Ducts. Various mental emotions, as joy and grief, may produce similar results.
Of Grief. That the internal membrane of the nostrils may be kept always moist, for the better perception of odours, there are two canals, that conduct the tears after they have done their office in moistening and cleaning the ball of the eye into a sack, which is called the lacrymal sack; and from which there is a duct, that opens into the nostrils: the aperture of this duct is formed of exquisite sensibility, and when it is stimulated by odorous particles, or by the dryness or coldness of the air, the sack contracts itself, and pours more of its contained moisture on the organ of smell.
When the eyes are open the quantity is sufficient to moisten the eyeball, the excess being carried into the nose so gradually that the attention is not attracted to it. The lacrymal canals are at times blocked by inflammation of the nasal duct, and the fluid collects in the corners of the eyelids and overflows down the cheeks, producing much inconvenience.
You may assure yourself of the truth of this observation, if you will attend to what passes, when you read a distressful tale alone; before the tears overflow your eyes, you will invariably feel a titillation at that extremity of the lacrymal duct, which terminates in the nostril, then the compression of the eyes succeeds, and the profusion of tears.
A very important though minute occurrence must here be observed, that though the lacrymal gland is only excited into action, when we weep at a distressful tale, by its association with this nasal duct, as is more fully explained in Sect.
The organ of smell is irritated by this perfume, and the lacrymal sack empties itself into the nostrils, as before explained, and an increase of tears is poured into the eyes.
The lacrymal sack, with its puncta lacrymalia, and its nasal duct, is a complete gland; and is singular in this respect, that it neither derives its fluid from, nor disgorges it into the circulation.
But the lacrymal glands, which separate the tears from the blood, are situated on the upper external part of the globes of each eye; and, when a greater quantity of tears are wanted, we contract the forehead, and bring down the eye-brows, and use many other distortions of the face, to compress these glands.
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