344 INTEGUMENTS. 



the big toe nails had grown upwards, in a semi-spiral manner, 

 to the length of four and a quarter inches, when measured 

 along the outer edge of the spiral. The corresponding nail 

 of the other side would have been of nearly the same length, 

 but it had been broken. The nails of all the other toes 

 had assumed a similar manner of growth, and measured 

 from one and a half to two inches. In the case of each 

 nail its anterior extremity presented the primitive nail as 

 it had been before this extraordinary hypertrophy. 



The statement of the patient was, that the growth had com- 

 menced about fifteen years previously. A tendency to this 

 horny growth from the skin, was also manifested in a tubercle, 

 three or four lines long, and with an ulcerated base, from the 

 back of her nose; and also by scaly excrescences on the legs. 

 The patient having died shortly afterwards, the collection of 

 nails was politely presented to the Anatomical Museum, by Dr. 

 Meigs. 



In cases where the nail has been lost by violence or disease, 

 the cutis vera secretes another; but it differs from the first, un- 

 less the cutis vera has been restored to a perfectly healthy ac- 

 tion: from this cause, we see in individuals thick black nails, 

 sometimes cleft longitudinally. 



The nails begin to appear about the fifth month of fetal life, 

 and are still imperfect at birth. When analyzed, they seem to 

 consist in coagulated albumen, with a small quantity of the 

 phosphate of lime. 



CHAPTER IV. 



OF THE HAIRS. 



THE Hairs (Pili, Crines) are cylindrical filaments, which 

 are found on most parts of the skin, excepting the palms and 

 the soles. The finest of them are microscopical, and have not 

 a diameter exceeding the one-sixth hundredth of an inch. 



