208 PHYSIOLOGY AND HEALTH. 



this course was pursued, he maintained his weight, and the 

 thirst ceased to be troublesome. In this case, the skin 

 absorbed sufficient fluid and nourishment to maintain life. 



495. One of the men who were subjected to the sweat- 

 ing experiment of Dr. Smith ( 473, 474, p. 199) the one 

 who lost two pounds and fifteen ounces went into a hot 

 bath at 95, where he had remained exactly half an hour. He 

 was reweighed on coming out of the bath ; and then it was 

 found that he had gained half a pound. This must have 

 been by the absorption of water. In the case of Ann Moore, 

 ( 97, p. 50,) there was some matter constantly passing off 

 through the lungs, and doubtless some perspiration. Yet, 

 for years, she took nothing through the mouth but a little 

 tea, and not enough of this to sustain life and to meet the 

 wants of respiration, and yet she did not waste away. The 

 body must have been sustained by matter which was absorbed 

 from the atmosphere through the skin. 



496. Other substances beside fluids may be thus ab- 

 sorbed. The odor of camphor or of garlic may be perceived 

 in the breath, when a plaster of one of these substances is 

 worn upon the skin. Medicines are sometimes thus intro- 

 duced into the system ; some liniments may be rubbed into 

 the skin, and entirely absorbed. Antimony rubbed over the 

 stomach is said to produce vomiting. Mercury, in the same 

 way, may bring on salivation. Men at work in lead mines, 

 or in an atmosphere of lead or lead paints, are often troubled 

 with what is called the lead colic, from the absorption of 

 particles of lead through the skin. 



497. But what should set at rest all doubt of the absorb- 

 ing power of the skin is the effect of contagion. The 

 slightest quantity of matter from the pustule of the kine pox, 

 when applied to the inner skin under the cuticle, excites 

 disease in the whole system. So other contagious diseases 

 such as small-pox are conveyed by the bare touch. Even 

 the matter of the latter disease which may be rubbed from 

 the skin, and lodged on the clothing or the bed, will be ab- 



