Here's what I have on gelatin, courtesy of the Consumer's Dictionary of
Cosmetic Ingredients:
 
"Gelatin is a protein obtained by boiling skin, tendons, ligaments, or
bones with water.  It is colorless or slightly yellow, tasteless, and
absorbs 5 to 10 times its weight of cold water.  Employed medicinally to
treat malnutrition and brittle fingernails."
 
BTW, if gelatin bothers you, Asian markets carry an alternative product
called "agar", or sometimes "agar agar".  My Consumer's Dictionary says
about agar that it is used as an emulsifier and emollient in cosmetics and
as a substitute for gelatin in foods.  It's extracted from various seaweeds
found in the Pacific and Indian oceans and the Sea of Japan.  It is also
used as a bulk laxative, and is an occassional allergen.
 
- Ela
 
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[Posted in FML issue 2335]