THE ORGANS OF SENSE. 



235 



forming a double flat net-work. They penetrate the papillae 

 as culs-de-sac and loops, so that one is reminded of relative 

 conditions of the intestinal villi (p. 98). Great variations 

 prevail, however, in the individual portions of the skin. 



We have, finally, to discuss the glands of the skin, which 

 have thus far been only cursorily mentioned. 



The more important ones are the convoluted, sudoriparous 

 glands (Fig. 183,^, 190, a, b). They remain small, with the 

 exception of those of the axilla, where they acquire enor- 

 mous dimensions and 

 more fatty contents. 

 Their convoluted 

 gland body is more 

 rarely situated in the 

 depths of the corium, 

 but, as a rule, in the 

 subcutaneous cellular 

 tissue. The excre- 

 tory duct (e, f) , some- 

 times shorter, some- 

 times longer, accord- 

 ing to the thickness 

 of the part, is slightly 

 spiral, and terminates 

 in the palm of the 

 hand and sole of the 

 foot, by way of ex- 

 ception, with funnel-shaped dilatations. It has a double 

 layer of epithelium. The walls of the convoluted gland 

 body present smooth muscles, which apparently increase with 

 the size of the gland body. 



The gland cells form a simple layer of low, cubical elements. 

 An elegant wicker-work of capillary vessels (V) surrounds the 

 secretory portion. 



The human skin contains these sudoriparous glands, with 

 few exceptions, but they are quite variable as to number and 

 position. The older Krause — he was a thorough observer— 



Fig. 190. — A human sudoriparous gland ; a, the coil, sur- 

 rounded by the commencement of venous vessels ; b, the 

 excretory canal ; c, the basket-like capillary plexus, with the 

 arterial trunk. 



