216 



Human Physiology. 



minutes its odour can be smelled in the urine, and probably 

 also in the breath. The odorous oil of onions comes out 

 both by lungs and skin. Asparagus gives its strong odour to 

 the urine. 



The millions of pores of the skin 

 ordinarily pour out two and a-half 

 pints of water daily water contain- 

 ing ail the matters of which I have 

 spoken. If there is constipation, and 

 therefore unusual foulness of the blood, 

 more comes out by the breath and 

 perspiration. If the perspiration is 

 stopped by chill, there is an increased 

 flow of urine. Chill may also cause 

 diarrhoea, and is frequently the cause 

 of a profuse watery discharge from 

 the mucous membrane of the nose. 

 A sudden check of perspiration gives 

 us a cold. The natural remedy is to 

 restore the action of the skin by a 

 warm bath, a hot-air bath, a wet 

 sheet-pack, or simply by such exercise 

 as will bring on a full action of the skin. 



And we can act on the skin so readily we have all its 

 millions of glands and pores so much at our command, that it 

 is for us the most important of all the great purifying organs of 

 the body. The cleanliness of a daily bath, at least of a thor- 

 ough washing all over the body, is within the reach of all. 

 All can strengthen the skin and promote its healthy action by 

 friction with the hands, or coarse towels, or a flesh-brush; and 

 a fourpenny brush is as good as any. Sea-bathing is within 

 the reach of great numbers at times ; hot-air baths have been 

 opened in most large towns; and all these are useful; but the 

 daily tubbing, or the morning sponge or towel bath, followed by 



Fig- 57- 



TERTICAL SECTION OF THE 

 SKIN MAGNIFIED. 



