PERSPIRATORY GLANDULE. 613 



not allowed to partake of any solid or liquid ingesta, nor to part with urine or 

 feces. 



Experiment I. Nov. 18, 1836. Day bright and clear. Temperature of 

 the air in which the men worked, 60 Fahr. Barometer 29.25 in. to 29.4 in. 

 Duration of labor, 45 minutes. Average loss of weight, 3 Ibs. 6 oz.; maximum, 

 4 Ibs. 3 oz. ; minimum 2 Ibs. 8 oz. 



Experiment II. Nov. 25, 1836. Day foggy, with scarcely any wind. Tem- 

 perature of the air, 39 Fahr. Barometer 29.8. Duration of labor, 75 minutes. 

 Average loss of weight, 2 Ibs. 2 oz. ; maximum, 2 Ibs. 15 oz. ; minimum, 

 14 oz. 



Experiment III. June 3, 1837. Day exceedingly bright and clear, with 

 little wind. Temperature of the air, 60. Duration of labor, 60 minutes. 

 Average loss of weight, 2 Ibs. 8 oz. ; maximum, 3 Ibs. ; minimum, 2 Ibs. 



Experiment IV. On the same day, two other men worked in an unusually 

 hot place for 70 minutes; the loss of weight of one of these was 4 Ibs. 14 oz. ; 

 and of the other, 5 Ibs. 2 oz. 



Although the individuals subjected to these experiments were not in all 

 instances the same, yet there was enough of identity among them to admit of 

 the certain inference, that the amount of fluid lost must be influenced by the 

 state of the individual system, as well as by that of the surrounding medium. 

 Thus in the second experiment, Michael Griffiths lost 2 Ibs. 6 oz., and Charles 

 Cahell 2 Ibs. 15 oz. ; whilst in the third, Michael Griffiths lost 3 Ibs., and 

 Charles Cahell only 2 Ibs. It is probable that the amount of liquid ingested 

 not long previously might have a considerable influence on the quantity lost by 

 transpiration under such circumstances. 



648. The Cutaneous excretion, as already pointed out, is in great degree 

 vicarious with the Urinary, in regard to the amount of fluid eliminated; the 

 urine being more watery in proportion as the cutaneous exhalation is diminished 

 in amount, and vice versa ( 636). But we are also to. look at these two excre- 

 tions as vicarious, in regard to the elimination of the products of the " waste" 

 of the system. The share which the Skin has in this office has probably been 

 generally underrated. There is reason to believe that at least 100 grains of 

 azotized matter are excreted from it daily ; and any cause which checks this 

 excretion must throw additional labor on the kidneys, and will be likely to 

 produce disorder of their function. The secreting action of the Skin is influ- 

 enced by general conditions of the vascular and nervous systems; which are as 

 yet ill understood. It is quite certain, however, that through the influence of 

 the latter the secretion may be excited or suspended; this is seen on the one 

 hand in the state of syncope, and in the effects of depressing emotions, espe- 

 cially fear, and its more aggravated condition, terror; and on the other, in the 

 dry condition of the skin during states of high nervous excitement. It is very 

 probable that, in many forms of fever, the suppression of the perspiration is a 

 cause, rather than an effect, of disordered vascular action; for there are several 

 morbid conditions of large parts of the surface, in which the suppression of the 

 transpiration appears to be one of the chief sources of danger, having a tendency 

 to produce congestion and inflammation of internal organs. From the experi- 

 ments of Dr. Fourcault, it appears that complete suppression of the perspiration 

 in animals, by means of a varnish applied over the skin, gives rise to a state 

 termed by him "cutaneous asphyxia;' 7 which is marked by imperfect arteriali- 

 zation of the blood, and considerable fall of temperature ( 660) ; and which, 

 as it produces death in the lower animals, would probably do the same in Man. 

 A partial suppression by the same means gives rise to febrile symptoms, and to 

 albuminuria. There can be no doubt whatever that imperfect action of the 

 Cutaneous glandulae, consequent upon inactive habits of life and want of ablu- 

 tion, is a very frequent source of disorder of the general system; occasioning 



