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Then if by the laws of imitation, as explained in Section XII. 3. 3. and XXXIX. 6. the extremities of the nerves of touch in the rete mucosum be induced into similar action, the skin or feathers, or hair, may in like manner so dispose their extreme fibres, as to reflect white; for it is evident, that all these parts were originally obedient to irritative motions during their growth, and probably continue to be so; that those irritative motions are not liable in a healthy state to be succeeded by sensation; which however is no uncommon thing in their diseased state, or in their infant state, as in plica polonica, and in very young pen-feathers, which are still full of blood.
It is seen in the Indians of the Isthmus of Darien, the Hottentots, and the Icelanders. Why the cells of the rete mucosum should have the function in some races of manufacturing or attracting pigment in excess of those of other races, is in itself a mystery.
Malphigi, an eminent Italian physician, of the last century, was the first person who discovered that the skin was divided into three lamina, or parts; the Cuticle, the true skin, and a certain coagulated substance situated between both, which he distinguished by the title of Mucosum Corpus; a title retained by anatomists to the present day: which coagulated substance adhered so firmly to the Cuticle, as, in all former anatomical preparations, to have come off with it, and, from this circumstance to have led the ancient anatomists to believe, that there were but two lamina, or divisible portions in the human skin.
Those situated in the most southern regions of Europe, have in their corpus mucosum a tinge of the dark hue of their African neighbours: hence the epidemick complexion, prevalent among them, is nearly of the colour of the pickled Spanish olive; while in this country, and those situated nearer the north pole, it appears to be nearly, if not absolutely, white.
The warm, soft, creamy skin is nothing to him but epidermis, stratum mucosum Malpighii; the white, sculptured neck only the regio nuchæ, and then comes the regio scapularis, the deltoidea, and then the sacrospinalis. What a fuss they make about that ascetic who resisted the temptations of the flesh when tried by the evil spirit in the shape of Lilith!
During and after an attack of scarlet fever the patient "peels," that is, sheds an unusual amount of the seal; cells of the cuticle. The deeper and more active layer of the epidermis, the mucosum, is made up of cells some of which contain minute granules of pigment, or coloring matter, that give color to the skin.
In their features we find a great improvement; a well-shaped nose replaces the expanded nostrils, compressed lips, the thick pouting ones, their teeth are of marvellous whiteness and regularity as are those of all Asiatics. Their cheeks may sometimes have a tinge of pink, but this is usually veiled by the darker tint of the "rete mucosum."
This discovery was sufficient to ascertain the point in question: for it appeared afterwards that the Cuticle, when divided according to this discovery from the other lamina, was semi-transparent; that the cuticle of the blackest negroe was of the same transparency and colour, as that of the purest white; and hence, the true skins of both being invariably the same, that the mucosum corpus was the seat of colour.
This fact , of the variation of the mucous substance according to the situation of the place, has been clearly ascertained in the numerous anatomical experiments that have been made; in which, subjects of all nations have come under consideration. The natives of many of the kingdoms and isles of Asia, are found to have their corpus mucosum black.
The immediate organs of sense consist in like manner of moving fibres enveloped in the medullary substance above mentioned; and are erroneously supposed to be simply an expansion of the nervous medulla, as the retina of the eye, and the rete mucosum of the skin, which are the immediate organs of vision, and of touch.
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