SKIN 



5401 



SKUNK 



glands are minute tubes that extend from the 

 surface of the body down to the subcutaneous 

 tissue. There are over two million of them, 

 distributed over the surface of the entire body, 

 but most abundantly on the palms, the soles 

 and the forehead. By means of these glands 

 the skin performs a twofold function: it ex- 

 cretes waste matter, and also regulates the heat 

 of the body, for 'the sweat, as it evaporates, 

 cools off the surface. The oil (sebaceous) 

 glands, which generally open into hair follicles 

 (see illustration on page 2659), secrete an oily 

 substance that keeps the hair smooth and 

 glossy and prevents the skin from becoming 

 too dry. So-called blackheads form when the 

 tiny openings of the face oil glands become 

 filled with dirt. 



Care of the Skin. The skin must be washed 

 frequently to keep the glands in good working 

 order. Neglect in this matter will cause the 

 pores (the mouths of the glands) to become 

 clogged. A fresh, rosy complexion is always an 

 indication of health and cleanliness, while pim- 

 ples and other unsightly blemishes usually tell 

 a story of unhygienic living. One should avoid 

 tight clothing and indulgence in rich foods and 

 unwholesome stimulants if a clear skin is de- 

 sired. A sensible regime in regard to food, 

 ventilation, dress and bathing is of far more 

 value than the practice of using cosmetics. In 

 regard to bathing one should exercise modera- 

 tion in the matter of hot water and soap, for 

 if these are used too lavishly the skin is liable 

 to become dry and scaly. 



Skin Grafting is the transference of living 

 skin to an area made raw by a burn or un- 

 healed sore or ulcer. There are several meth- 

 ods employed; the most common consists in 

 placing superficial layers of skin on the wound. 

 Sometimes, however, the entire thickness of 

 skin, including subcutaneous fat, is laid on the 

 sore spot. If the operation is successful the 

 new graft causes the wound to heal. Skin 

 grafting has often been the means of saving 

 life, and it has sometimes been made possible 

 only through the heroism of a person willing 

 to give a portion of healthy skin. C.B.B. 



Related Subjects. The following articles in 

 these volumes present various phases of the sub- 

 ject. Among them are articles on skin diseases : 

 Baths and Bathing Hygiene, subhead 



Boil Personal Hygiene 



Dandruff Itch 



Eczema Nails 



Hair Nervous System 



Hookworm Perspiration 



Touch 



SKINNER, skin'cr, OTIS (1858- ), an 

 American actor who has no superior as an im- 

 personator of romantic roles. His acting shows 

 a blending of humor, sentiment and buoyancy 

 that has made him an established star on the 

 American stage, and his art has a finish that 

 could come only from thorough training and 

 long experience. Skinner, in fact, had the best 

 of teachers, for he worked with Edwin Booth 

 and Lawrence Barrett when they were in the 

 height of 'their successful careers, and for five 

 years (1884-1889) he played with Augustin 

 Daly's company. Skinner was born at Cam- 

 bridge, Mass. He made his first appearance as 

 a professional actor in 1877, in Philadelphia, 

 and played for two years in that city with the 

 Walnut Street Stock Company. After leaving 

 the Daly organization he was leading man for 

 Madame Modjeska through several seasons. 

 His greatest success of later years was Kismet, 

 a play of the romantic type, but he also won 

 praise for his work in Cock o' the Walk (1915- 

 1916), a character comedy by Henry Arthur 

 Jones. In 1917 he appeared successfully in Mr. 

 Antonio, a play by Booth. Tarkington. 



SKU'A, the bird of prey of the ocean, a 

 fierce, gull-like creature with a strong, hooked 

 beak and brown and white plumage. It fol- 

 lows the gulls and terns of Arctic and Ant- 

 arctic waters, taking from them the fish they 



THE SKUA 



have caught, and also devours smaller birds and 

 their eggs. Skuas build their nests of sticks and 

 grasses on the ground or bare rocks. The eggs 

 are two in number, olive colored, with spots of 

 brown or chocolate. The birds are artful in 

 concealing their nests and fight savagely if they 

 are discovered. See GULLS. 



SKUNK, a common member of the weasel 

 family, native to North America. It is stockily 

 built, about the size of a large cat, with 



