— 16 — 
Skin of finger 
Sweat glands. 
Mummies of the 
XVIIIth-XXth 
dynasties. 
Some preparations are riddled with almost circular holes, which as their walls 
have no particular structure, must have been formed post mortem. Some of these cavi- 
ties extend to the outer edge of the preparation and open out on the surface. I suggest 
that they are due to gasbubbles formed during the process of putrefaction. 
In preparations of the chest and mamma, sweat glands and other glands can 
not be identified with certainty. Welldefined bloodvessels are not rare, and the fat, loose 
connective tissue and voluntary muscles of some of the deeper parts of the skin are 
beautifully preserved. Nuclei can be demonstrated in the connective tissue ; and so dense 
is this underlying tissue still that, as has been described already, it often separates 
from the dermis and sinks in the softening fluid. 
The skin of the fingers is in an astonishingly good state of preservation. The 
layer of horny tissue which floats off in acid alcohol, when washed, stained and mounted, 
shows individual horny cells plainly (Plate V. Fig. 4). The other microscopical appea- 
rances of the skin in this region are easily seen and although the epidermic cells are 
occasionally absent, yet the epidermic layer is often complete over large surfaces. 
The epidermis does not stain very readily and the cells remain of a yellowisli 
colour, whereas their nuclei turn a pale red in acid fuchsin and greyish mauve in hae- 
matoxyHn (Plate V. Fig. 1). 
Under a high power the contours of some of the cells are sometimes distinct; the 
lowest cells are occasionally pigmented, and the pigment varies from light-yellow to 
brown. Distinct granules are generally absent, the pigment being usually diffused 
through the cell. 
The papillae and the dense connective tissue of the corium stain brightly and 
nuclei are not unfrequently (Plate V. Fig. 1) seen. 
The wavy elastic fibres greedily absorb acid fuchsin. 
The deeper connective tissue and the fat are in a remarkably good state of pre- 
servation, although, except occasionally, no nuclei are evident. 
The sweat glands are not always easily found, owing to their being greatly com- 
pressed by the connective tissue. Sometimes, however, they are unmistakable and 
form a yellowish green streak lined by the nuclei of the epithelium cells (Plate IV. Fig. 3). 
Their ramified endings though somewhat flattened, are distinct and the epithelium cells 
show the same staining reactions as those of the epidermis (Plate V. Fig. 3). 
The arrangement of the fat and connective tissue is well seen in Plate V. Figs. 
1. 2 5. 7. 
In contrast with the dry and resinous state of the skin of the mummies of the 
XXIst dynasty which had been carefully packed with rags, mud and sand, the skin of 
the mummies of the XVIIIth-XXth dynasties, which were given me by Prof. Petrie, was 
almost soft and flexible. It was possible to strip off the skin from the subjacent muscles 
and a subcutaneous layer of yellowish fat was still present. The limbs of these mummies 
had not been packed, nevertheless the muscles, cartilages, ligaments and nerves were 
