FOLLICLES OF THE SKIS. 61 



from excess of action in the brain, and deficiency of 

 activity in the nerves of the skin and remoter or- 

 gans. The nervous stimulus, which is essential to 

 digestion and to the health and warmth of the skin, 

 cannot be provided when the brain is too exclusively 

 exercised in thinking or feeling ; and for want of this 

 stimulus, the tone of the digestive and cutaneous or* 

 gans is greatly reduced, the surface of the body 

 becomes cold, shrunk, and uncomfortable, and the 

 individual subject to annoyance and painful sensa- 

 tions from trifles which formerly gave pleasure. 

 Bad digestion and deficient warmth of surface are 

 thus proverbially complained of among literary and 

 sedentary persons, and can be removed only by ex- 

 citing the nervous and vascular functions of the skin, 

 and diminishing those of the brain. 



Such are the direct and important uses of the 

 skin. But in addition to the parts already noticed, 

 there are numerous small follicles contained in its 

 substance, more abundant where hairs are implanted, 

 and in the vicinity of the orifices of natural canals, 

 than in other regions, but existing in all parts ex- 

 cept the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. 

 They are about the size of a millet seed, and the 

 skin which contains them is thin, reflected on itself, 

 and very vascular. Their cavities are filled with 

 an oily humour susceptible of concretion and con- 

 sistence, and each opens by an orifice at the external 

 surface of the skin. It is this oily matter which 

 prevents water from penetrating easily and relaxing 

 the cuticle, and the- absence of which, when it has 

 been removed by the soda used in washing, allows 

 the skin of the hands and fingers to assume that 

 wrinkled and shrivelled appearance which is com- 

 mon among washerwomen. 

 F* 



