USES OF THE SKIN 129 



for several hours; the horse died from poisoning resulting from the passage 

 of the salt, through the skin, into the system. 



The power to absorb water through the skin was maintained in former 

 times, but modern physiology rejects this idea entirely; in fact, the cir- 

 cumstance of patients affected with skin diseases remaining immersed in 

 water for long periods, and still being subject to thirst, and requiring 

 to drink as much liquid as if they were not in the water at all, proves 

 that no appreciable quantity of that fluid is taken in through the skin. 

 On the whole, the power of the skin to absorb fluid is generally accepted 

 as an extremely limited one. It appears, however, that the skin can be 

 permeated by gas. Bichat's experiment proves that the skin of a limb, 

 if immersed in putrid gases, absorbs them, and it is alleged that all 

 kinds of miasma may penetrate into the organism in this way with ease. 

 Common observation suggests that the absorbing powers of the skin may 

 have been underrated; it is admitted that it acts to a certain extent as 

 an organ of respiration, absorbing oxygen and exhaling carbonic acid. 

 It is recorded that Gairlach collected ^ oz. carbonic acid in half an hour 

 from the skin of horses at rest, and 3 ozs. at work. The poisonous action 

 of certain fluids when applied to the skin in the ordinary processes of 

 sheep-dipping, and dressing the skin for mange and Other diseases, has 

 come under the writer's own notice repeatedly. On one occasion liquid 

 carbolic acid was painted over the skin of two dogs suffering from mange, 

 under a mistaken impression as to the proper mode of using the agent, 

 which should have been mixed with fifty parts of water. The immediate 

 effect was the occurrence of a species of epileptic fit; the animals fell 

 over on to the ground, frothing at the mouth and showing a spasmodic 

 twitching of the muscles. The prompt application of warm water with 

 plenty of soap, by the aid of which the greater part of the lotion wa 

 removed, relieved the urgent symptoms, and the dogs ultimately recovered,, 

 but they continued to suffer from depression, loss of appetite, and difficulty 

 of movement for several days. 



On another occasion the dipping of sheep in a mixture of carbolic acid 

 soap and a small quantity of turpentine, with the addition of 40 parts of 

 water to 1 part of the mixture, was followed by the sudden death of 

 five sheep in succession, after they had been kept in the dipping-tub for 

 the usual two minutes. Directly the fleece had been wrung by the attend- 

 ant for the purpose of removing excess of fluid, the animals rolled over 

 on to the ground in violent convulsions, and were dead in the course of 

 a few seconds. On looking at the mixture, which was the same that had 

 been used repeatedly with perfect success, a quantity of brown scum was 

 discovered on the surface, proving that the carbolic acid had not become 



VOL. II 43 



