The defcription and ufe of the Pores in the skin of 
the hands and feet ^ by the learned and ingenious 
Nehemiah Grew, M. D. fellovv of the College of 
Vhyfichns and of /y^e Royal Society. 
BY Pores , Phyfieians mean no more , than certain 
permeable fpaces between the parts of a Body. 
Wherefore, that there are Pores in the skin oi every 
man's Body, is no more to be queftion'd, than whether 
Men do ever fweat or perfpire. 
But in the Hands and Feeir, they are very remarkable ; 
both in refpedl of thoAtPofition 2in6. their Amplitude^ hi- 
therto, lo far as I know, delcrib'd by no Anatomift, 
For if any one will but take the pains, with an indiffe- 
rent Glafs^ to furvey the Palm of his Hand very well wafh- 
ed with a Ball ; he may perceive ( befides thofe great 
Lines to which fome men have given Names, , and thofe 
of a middle fize cali d the Grain of the skin) innuniera- 
ble little lodges , of equal bignefs and diftance, and e- 
very where running parallel one with another. And ef- 
pecially, upon the ends and firft Joynts of the Fingers and 
Thumb, upon the top of the B^H, and near the root of 
the Thumbs, little above theWriJi, In all which places, 
they are very regularly difpo fed into jpherical Triangles^ 
and Ellipticks 5 as in the Hand I have caufed to be drawn 
Fig. I. Upon thtk lodges Hand the Pores, all in even 
Rows, and of that magnitude, as to be vifible to a very 
good Eye without a Glafs. But being viewed with one, 
every Pore looks like a little Fountain, and the fweat 
may be feen to ftand therein, as clear as rock water, 
and as often as it is wiped off, to fprijig up within them 
again. 
That which Nature intends in the pofition of thefe 
^dges^ is, That they may the better fuit with the ufe 
and 
