Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 014.djvu/172

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By Pores, Physicians mean no more, than certain permeable spaces between the parts of a Body. Wherefore, that there are Pores in the skin of every man's Body, is no more to be question'd than whether Men do ever sweat of perspire.

But in the Hands and Feet, they are very remarkable; both in respect of their Position and their Amplitude, hitherto, so far as I know, describ'd by no Anatomist.

For if anyone will but take the pains, with an indifferent Glass, to survey the Palm of his Hand very well washed with a Ball; he may perceive (besides those great Lines to which some men have given Names, and those of a middle size call'd the Grain of the skin). innumerable little Ridges, of equal bigness and distance, and every where running parallel one with another. And especially, upon the ends and first Joynts of the Fingers and Thumb, upon the top of the Ball, and near the root of the Thumb, a little above the Wrist. In all which places, they are very regularly disposed into Spherical Triangles, and Ellipticks; as in the Hand I have caused to be drawn Fig. 1. Upon these Ridges stand the Pores, all in even Rows, and of that magnitude, as to be visible to a very good Eye without a Glass. But being viewed with one, every Pore looks like a little Fountain, and the sweat may be seen to stand therein, as clear as rock water, and as often as it is wiped off, to spring up within them again.

That which Nature intends in the position of these Ridges, is, That they may the better suit with the use and