Excerpt from Practical Handbook on Dermatology: Containing a Treatise on Diseases of the Skin, Scalp and HairThe large and continuous membrane, called the cutis, or skin, which covers and protects the internal parts of the animal organism, is one of the most interesting organs of the body. W The first changes in the general health, the mental impressions, the feelings of satisfaction or of shame, of love or anger, are manifested in the face by a difference of color, which is produced either by a contraction or a dilatation of the cutaneous blood vessels. Many internal dis eases can be promptly recognized by the eye of the skillful physician from the color and altera tions of the skin.The skin is a complex system of many organs, performing the most interesting functions absorption, transpiration, perspiration, and the delicate sense of touch. With its freshness of color, its smoothness of surface, its appendagesthe hair and\the nails, it produces the regular appearance of the body and of the physiognomy, makes the ideal, the aesthetic character, in a word, produces beauty.It therefore merits the most diligent attention and the best care. Its functions of absorption and perspiration must be looked to in order to prevent disease and maintain the organism in health. As an organ of touch, it must be care fully examined as to its sensitiveness, whether. Hyperaesthetic or anaesthetic, or whether there be disordered sensations, as in pruritus and many nervous diseases.As an organ of beauty, it must be guarded against eruptions, discolorations, loss of hair, etc, all of which would change the expression and destroy the exterior aspect of the body.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully, any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.