THE HAIRS. 441 



The Hairs 



Originate from bulbs which are situated at the bottom of 

 pores or cavities in the skin. These pores appear to be Imed 

 by a production of the cuticle, and the extremities of the bulbs 

 project beyond them into the cellular membrape. In some 

 cases, where the cuticle is separated after putrefaction, it seems 

 that these lining processes of the cuticle come away completely, 

 and bring the hairs and roots with them ; but in other cases, 

 the cuticle separates from the cutis, and leaves the hairs in their 

 natural situation.* 



When viewed in a microscope, the bulb appears half trans- 

 parent, and whitish ; and of a softer consistence than the hair 

 itself. The extremity of it is remarkably flexible, and some- 

 times much darker than the rest of the bulb. The hair does 

 not appear to extend completely to the end of the bulb. Neither 

 blood-vessels nor nerves have been traced to these bulbs, 

 although it is probable they extend there ; for the operation 

 of extracting hair by the roots is generally very painful ; and 

 blood sometimes appears in the pore from which the hair is 

 extracted. 



The body of the hair appears to be composed of smaller 

 fibres, enclosed in a membrane which often is imperfect at the 

 extremity ; in consequence of which the fibres often separate 

 from each other, or split. 



Within the hair is diffused the substance upon which its 

 color depends : this does not appear to be essential to the 

 structure, as in the advance of life the hair is so generally 

 without it, while its structure continues unchanged, although it 

 becomes less flexible. 



The color of the hair appears to have some connexion with 



* Dr. Dom. Nardo, of Padua, asserts that he has succeeded frequently upon 

 himself, in transplanting a hair with its bulb, from one of the pores of the head 

 into one of the pores of the chest ; which is done by enlarging the latter pore 

 with a needle, introducing the bulb into it with exactness, and exciting a slight 

 inflammation around it by friction. The planted hair takes root, grows, arid in 

 process of time, undergoes the usual changes, becomes gray, and is shed. 

 Giorn delV ltd. 



