54 Of the Scales in the Human Skin', 
Of the fcales in the human fkin. 
T HE cuticula, fcarf fkin, or outward covering of 
the body, is remarkable for its fcales and pores. 
The fcales grow upon our bodies, juft as the fcales 
grow upon the external fkin of a fifh, z and are placed 
as in fxftfes three deep, i. e. each fcale is fo far cover’d 
by two others, that only a third part thereof appears* 
as at M, fig. 70. their lying over one another, may be 
the caufe why the fkin of the body appears white ; for 
about the mouth and lips, where they only juft meet 
together, and do not fold over, the blood-veffels are feea 
through, and the parts look red. 
The perfpirable matter is fuppofed to ifiiie between 
thofe fcales, (which lie over the pores or excretory veffels, 
through which the watery and oily humours perfpire) 
and may find vent in an hundred places round the 
edges of the fkin. 
A piece of fkin taken from between the fingers, 
neck, arms, forehead, or any other part of the body 
which is not hairy, ferves beft to fhew the fcales : or 
if they be fcraped off with a penknife, and put into a 
drop of water, and fo applied to the microfcope, they 
will be feen to good advantage, as at L, fig. 70. and 
generally confift of five fides. 
Mr. Leeuwenhoek tells us 200 of them may be co¬ 
vered with a grain of fand % fo that if a grain of fand 
can cover 200 of thofe fcales, it will alfo cover b 20,000 
places through which perfpiration may ifiue. 
2 Phil. Tranf. No. 159. a Arc. Nat. Tom. i. Par. II. 
p. 208. & Arc. Nat. Tom. iv. p. 48. 
To 
