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fhall find the fcalcs which cover the Ikln placed more clofely toge- 

 ther in thofe furrows than on the more elevated parts. And, for 

 fome time pall, it has been my firm opinion, that the furrows or 

 wrinkles on the infides of our hands and feet, are only thofe places 

 where the external ikin,^ by means of fpme ftraight veil'els in it, is 

 uncommonly clofe and compa6l, as we fee in fome trees which have 

 furrows or wrinkles in their bark, proceeding from the veflels of the 

 wood, which furrows are not made to emit any moillure from the 

 wood, but only, as 1 imagine, to unite the bark more clofely to the 

 wood. For, as our external Ikin is only made to defend the parts 

 within it, fo the bark of a tree is appointed for the defence of the 

 wood ; and as our external Ikin, when a new one is formed under 

 it, peels off by pieces, fo the bark of a tree, when the new bark is 

 formed, every year breaks off, piece by piece, unlefs the old and 

 new bark cohere too llrongly : and, in like manner as in our hands 

 and feet there is a firong cohefion of the old and newly formed Ikins, 

 it necefl'arily follows, that, in the place where the cohefion is ftrong- 

 eft, there muft be wrinkles or furrows in the Ikin. 



I examined the Scales on the infide of my hand, and taken from 

 that thick Ikin we call a callus, and I found the Scales to be of the 

 lame dimenfions with thofe on the other parts of my body, but 

 whereas thofe are thin and tranfparent, thefe were covered with fo 

 many globules and ftreaks, that they appeared compofcd of globules. 

 But, as I have always found that not only the infides of the fingers 

 but all the infide of the hand emits much moifiure, I conclude, that 

 as the Scales on our arms and other parts of our bodies, when they 

 have no nourifliment fall off, fo, on the contrarj^ though the Scales 

 on the infide of our hands and feet may want nourifliment, they col- 

 lect together in great numbers, and, by the moillure of the parts, 

 are fo clofely glued or coagulated together, and fuch fmall fpaces left 

 for the tranfpiration,that what appears a thick Ikin is formed ; though , 

 in reality it is., for the moft part, no more than a colletlion of Scales i ' 



