PERSPIRATION. 285 



the civilian, and Lord Herbert of Cherbury, were equally de- 

 lightful. Dr. Speranza lately witnessed a strong balsamic fra- 

 grance from the inner part of the left forearm of a healthy man, 

 which continued, especially in the morning, for two months, 

 and ceased for good on the supervention of fever. 1 Van Swieten 

 mentions a man whose left armpit smelt strongly of musk ; and 

 Wedel and Gahrliess saw each a similar example. k 



Absorption by the skin, unless friction is employed or the cu- 

 ticle abraded, has been denied. We are told that Dr. Currie's 

 patient, labouring under dysphagia seated in the cesophagus, 

 always found his thirst relieved by bathing, but never acquired 

 the least additional weight l : that Dr. Gerard's diabetic patient 

 weighed no more after cold or warm bathing than previously 111 : 

 that Seguin found no mercurial effects from bathing a person in a 

 mercurial solution, provided the cuticle remained entire ; while 

 they occurred when the cuticle was abraded. n 



But the two former cases are no proofs that water was not 

 absorbed, because the persons immersed did not lose in weight, 

 which they would have done if not immersed, owing to the pul- 

 monary and cutaneous excretions ; these therefore must have been 

 counterbalanced by absorption somewhere, and no shadow of proof 

 can be urged against its occurrence by the skin, as Dr. Kellie 

 remarks in his excellent paper on the functions of this part. 

 Seguin besides found two grains of the mercurial salt disappear 

 in an hour from the solution when of the temperature of 72J. 



There is every reason to believe the occurrence of cutaneous 

 absorption independently of friction or abrasion of the cuticle. 

 First, the existence of absorbents all over the surface cannot be 

 intended for use merely when friction is employed or the cuticle 



When Venus showed herself to her son, 



Ambrosiaeque comae divinum vertice odorem 

 Spiravere. JEneid. i. 403. 



Homer says the same of Venus (Odyss* S), and of Juno (Iliad, . 170. sqq.) 

 Flora, Ceres, and Apollo also were nosegays. Ovid, Fast. v. ; Homer, Hymn* 

 in Cererem. 



' l Annali universali di Medicina, Feb. 18 32. 



k Ib. Where three other cases of fragrance are referred to, in two of which it 

 proceeded from the hands ; as well as singular examples from among brutes* 

 1 Medical Reports, %c. m Hollo, On Diabetes* 



n La Medecine edairee, $e. t. 3. 

 Edinburgh Med. and Surg. Journal, vol. i 



U 



