93 



has found it to contain, besides carbonate of al- 

 kali, albumen and the acetates of lime and pot- 

 ash, a peculiar saponaceous combination of pot- 

 ash, lime and a resinous oily substance. He ascribes 

 the fat of the wool and the hide to a part of the 

 oil, which has been separated on the combination 

 of the alkali with carbonic acid from the air. 

 There appears, however, to be a contradiction in 

 supposing-, that the greasy humour should at once 

 contain carbonated alkali and lime in solution. 

 VAUQUETxiN and BUNIVA found a greasy mat- 

 ter, resembling' cheese, on the skin of the foetus, 

 whereby its epidermis in the womb was defended 

 from any effect of the liquor anmil. 



The Skin is an organ of secretion, which is dis- 

 tinguished from all others by presenting an ex- 

 tended surface, from which the greatest part of 

 the secreted matter must be discharged by means 

 of evaporation. In former times much pains 

 were taken to examine the quantity of transpira- 

 tion. SANCTORIUS continued his experiments 

 for thirty years ; and after him many others have 

 laboured in the same field, as DODART, KEIL, 

 ROBERTSON, RYE, LINING, and at last also 

 LAVOISIER and SEGUIN in France, and CRUIK-, 

 in England, But all their experiments 



