Uptake or Output of Water by the Skin as Influenced by External Vapor Pressure in Liquid or Vapor Contact and by Atropine

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Abstract
Influence of ambient temperatures, vapor pressure, liquid or vapor contact and atropine on the net movement of water into and out of the hand was studied in terms of the gain or loss in weight of a surrounding vessel containing dry CaC12, water vapor, 30% NaCl solution or liquid water. With low external vapor pressure there was an output of water that increased with temperature. Atropine inhibited this by an average of 60%. High vapor pressure reduced the output to a small value with vapor contact or shifted it to a substantial uptake by the hand with liquid contact; these movements in the high vapor pressure media were largely independent of temperature in the range studied. Atropine modified the movement by a nearly uniform amount either by diminishing the output or increasing the uptake of water by the hand. The resistance of the skin to the passage of water was estimated to be about 10 times as great for vapor contact as for liquid contact. With vapor contact the skin resistance was subject to large variation under the influence of temperature and atropine while with liquid contact it was relatively stable. The variability with vapor contact was attributed to the physical properties of the horny layer of the skin. It is suggested that with liquid contact the contribution of the horny layer to the total resistance becomes small.

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