182 



Human Physiology. 



The ends of the fingers are most commonly used for touch. 

 Here, to give a greater surface, or a better chance for objects 

 to affect the nerves, the skin is thrown into minute ridges. 

 Under these ridges of the cuticle the cutis vera, or true skin,, 

 rises in little cones or teats, papilla, which are alive with blood- 

 vessels and nerves (Fig. 32). The nerves end in loops, as we 

 have seen in the muscles, and they are so minute that the finest 

 needle, or even the finest bee-sting, must pierce great numbers 

 of them (Fig. 33). And every distinct fibre is capable of con- 

 veying an impression, or rather many kinds of impressions, to 

 the brain, which has the power of forming, of these reports, 

 a sensation and thence an idea of the qualities of the body 

 examined. How delicate this sense may be, how many things 

 can be done and enjoyed by the sense of feeling, they only can 



Fig. 32. PORES AND PAPILL/E 

 OF THE SKIN. 



On the left is a magnified view of 

 the ridges of the cuticle, with the 

 openings of the pores in their fur- 

 rows. On the right, the cuticle has 

 been removed, leaving correspond- 

 ing rows of papillae. 



') \i , . ! . ij* 



FIG. 33. NERVES OF THE 

 PAPILL/E. 



Highly magnified view of the ter- 

 minal loops of the sensitive nerves 

 as they rise in the rows of papillae. 



know who have been deprived of other modes of sensation. 

 The blind acquire a wonderful power of tact, and carry on 

 trades, and accomplish processes which seem impossible. But 

 bees build their cells and perform all the wonders of the 

 \nterior of their hives in darkness that is, they prefer dark-- 



