! .4 THE REAfiON WHY : 



Man ! know thyself. All wisdom centres there : 

 To none man seems ignoble, but to man &quot; YOUNG. 



2G. Wliy are the palms of the hands and the insides and tips 

 of the fingers guarded by cushions of skin ? 



If it were not for this protection, the strain upon the blood 

 vessels and nerves would be too great, and the texture even 

 of bones and muscles would not be able to sustain the demand 

 made upon them. 



27. Why are the fingers furnished ivith nails ? 



If the fingers were not thus furnished, the flesh would be 

 forced out of its position and incapable of supporting hard sub 

 stances ; the assistance of the nails is also necessary in retaining 

 minute objects which would otherwise elude the grasp. 



28. The nails are applicable to many other purpose?, and in polishing and scraping, 

 in tearing and peeling off the skins of vegetables and animals, and in almost ever/ 

 act where nicety of execution is required. 



&quot;29. How are the nails of the hands and feet formed? 



The nails are a part of the scarf skin, and present the same pheno 

 mena/)! adaptation to the surface of the sensitive skin, but in a more 

 triking manner. The portion of sensitive skin which gives support 

 to the nail is formed into very delicate longitudinal folds, which 

 stand up perpendicularly to the surface. The nail upon its under 

 surface is fashioned into thin vertical plates, which are received 

 between the folds of sensitive skin ; and in this manner the two 

 kinds of laminae reciprocally embracing each other, the firmness of 

 connecti &amp;gt;n of the nail is maintained. 



30. If *c took on the surface of the nail we sec an indication of its structure in 

 the alternate red and white lines which are there observed; the former of these 

 correspond with the sensitive laminae, the latter with the horny plates, and the 

 ribbed appearance of the nail is due to the same circumstance. These sensitive 

 lamina 1 arc provided with an unusual number of blood-vessels for the formation of 

 the nail, and hence they give a red tint to that portion under which they lie; but 

 nu.m-r the ro:&amp;gt;t of the nail, there is a part which is not laminated, but merely 

 ridged longitudinally, and is less abundantly supplied with capillary vessels. Tula 

 lam i part consequently iroks pale if compared with the preceding. The root of the 



