Eugene Pruitt, age 13, of Tacoma, Wash., for his question:

DOES PERSPIRATION GET RID OF BODY WASTE?~

Perspiration from sweat glands is of almost no importance in ridding the body of waste materials. The primary importance of the glands is to produce perspiration when the body needs to lose heat.

Sweating itself does not reduce body heat. but when the sweat evaporates, it has a cooling effect on the body.

Perspiration consists of water and certain dissolved substances produced by glands in the skin. Sweat glands are distributed over the entire surface of the body. But in certain areas they are larger and more concentrated. As an example, there are many large sweat glands in the armpits, on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.

People can perspire in cool weather as well as in warm, and at night as well as during the day.