THE INTEGUMENT, OR SKIN 55 



and elastic, is without feeling, and does not bleed when cut. 

 Examine it more closely, and we observe that it is composed 

 of minute flat cells, closely compacted, and arranged layer upon 

 layer. 



3. The outer layer, the epidermis, is constantly being worn 

 out, and falls from the body in the form of very fine scales. 

 It is, also, continually forming anew on the surface of the inner 

 layer. Its thickness varies in different parts of the body.* 

 Where exposed to use, it is thick and horn-like, as may be seen 

 on the soles of the feet, or on the palms of the hands of those 

 who are accustomed to perform much manual labor. This is 

 an admirable provision for the increased protection of the 

 sensitive parts below the skin against all ordinary exposure. 

 Even the liabilities of these parts to injury are thus kindly 

 provided for by " the Hand that made us." (Read Note 1.) 



4. The cutis, or true skin, lies beneath the epidermis, and is 

 its origin and support. It is firm, elastic, very sensitive, and 



* Like all other parts of the body, the scarf-skin is constantly being 

 worn out ; it dries, shrivels, and falls from the body in the form of fine 

 flakes, or scales. In the scalp, these scales form the "dandruff." As 

 fast as it wears away it is renewed from beneath. This seemingly simple 

 process is very important, for by it a uniform thickness is secured to the 

 covering of the body. If it were otherwise, this covering would grow 

 thicker as it grew older, like the bark of a tree, until it became unwieldy; 

 it would prevent perspiration also, and this, as we shall see, would be 

 fatal to life. The growth of the true skin is provided for in the blood- 

 vessels which abound in it. 



1. The Renewal of the Cuticle. The skin is not a permanent sheath, 

 but is, as it were, always wearing out and rubbing off, and new skin is 

 always rising up from underneath. A snake leaves off his whole skin at 

 once, as we leave off a suit of clothes or a dress, and sometimes we may 

 find his whole cast-off covering turned inside out, just as he crept out of 

 it. In man, generally, we do not notice the dead particles of the skin as 

 it wears off ; but where the cuticle is pretty thick, as on the soles of the 

 feet, we can see it peel off in little rolls whenever we wash the feet in hot 

 water. After scarlet fever, too, sometimes the dead skin comes off in 

 great flakes, and from the hands almost like the fingers of a glove. 

 Berners. 



3. Wearing out of the cuticle ? What then ? Variety in thickness of cuticle ? How 

 accounted for? 



4. Location and office of the cutis ? What further is said of it ? Papillae ? Touch ? 



