COVERING OF THE HOUSE. 137 



which magnify greatly, say that, thin as it ap- 

 pears to the naked eye, such is its real struc- 

 ture. It is called, in books, the cuticle, or 

 scarf-skin, and sometimes the epidermis ; in 

 short, it has a great many names ; but cuticle 

 is the best. 



The cuticle is the part which rises when the 

 skin is blistered. If you examine it when it is 

 thus raised, however, you will be a little dis- 

 appointed in regard to its structure ; for it is 

 then so soaked with the water of the blister, 

 and so much thickened, that jt does not appear 

 at all natural. In its healthy state, it is scarcely 

 a fiftieth part as thick as the covering of a blis- 

 ter; besides which, it is transparent, or nearly 

 so. If it were not, you could not see the col- 

 oring matter under it so plainly. 



You will get the best idea of this cuticle 

 which the naked eye can give you, by exam- 

 ining it when you have by accident grazed off 

 small portions of it. I have often grazed it 

 from my leg, when a boy ; and sometimes I 

 have grazed a little too deeply. 



These grazed places soon heal, however, if 

 we are temperate, and correct in all our habits, 

 12* 



