SPLEEN. 



779 



the greatest quantity, and are most easily 

 seen. 



The constant and essential elements of the 

 splenic vesicles are cells, with a single nucleus 

 of a spherical shape, and from 3 to 5-1000ths 

 of a line in diameter : besides these, free 

 nuclei, and larger cells of 6-1000-ths of a line 

 in diameter, and with one or two nuclei, also 

 occur (Jig. 529.). The cells are in general 

 pale and faintly granular ; their nuclei are 

 from 16 to 25-10000ths of a line in size, 

 spherical, apparently homogeneous, and with 

 a rather dark margin ; or frequently vesicular, 

 with a more or less distinct hucleolus and 

 other granules. It is not infrequent to see 



Elements of the Malpighian corpuscles of the Ox, mag- 

 nified 350 diameters. 



a, smaller cells ; b, larger cells ; c, free nuclei. 



single cells provided with dark fatty granules, 

 and in particular instances blood discs are 

 present, either changed or unchanged, free or 

 included in cells. The free nuclei are of the 

 same size as those contained in cells, and are 

 also, in other respects, quite similar to them. 

 In the ordinary method of examining the 

 Malpighian corpuscles, the quantity of them 

 nuclei seems larger than it really is, since 

 many of the cells burst, and allow their nu- 

 cleus to escape. Yet it is very remarkable 

 that their number is very variable in the most 

 cautious examination, a fact which appears to 

 me partly to account for the very different 

 statements of different 'observers. In many 

 cases it has happened to me to find only a 

 few free nuclei, often none at all, while in 

 other instances they constitute a half or more 

 of the elements of the corpuscles. This fact, 

 taken together with the often very different 

 size of the cells present, seems to prove that 

 a continuous process of cell-growth exists in 

 the Malpighian corpuscles ; in such wise, that 

 new nuclei and cells continually arise, and old 

 cells perish. But hereof more will be said in 

 speaking of the pulp, in which the same pro- 

 cess obtains. 



If, after these remarks, we take a glance at 

 the import of the Malpighian corpuscles, we 

 shall be compelled especially to ask ourselves, 

 first, whether they are the beginnings of the 

 lymphatics, or in any other way connected 

 with them ? and, secondly, whether they 

 have the import of glandular vesicles ? A 

 connection of the Malpighian corpuscles with 

 the lymphatics was a belief of many anato- 

 mists in earlier times, and in our own days 

 has been recently upheld by Giesker, Huschke, 

 Gerlach, and Poelmann. The acceptors of 

 such a theory rest mainly on conjecture, but 

 partially also on facts. Amongst the latter, 

 there may be mentioned 1. The cor- 



respondence of the cells in the Malpighian 

 corpuscles with the lymph corpuscles. But 

 we must remember that cells which cor- 

 respond with the lymph corpuscles occur in 

 many other situations where no such connec- 

 tion with the lymphatics can be imagined, as 

 in the spleen-pulp itself, in the pancreas, in the 

 salivary glands, the glands of mucous mem- 

 brane, the thymus, thyroid, &c. 2. Huschke 

 adduces the similarity of the spleen vesicles 

 with the whitish granules of the lymphatic 

 glands, which are dilatations of the lymphatic 

 vessels themselves. Against this it need only 

 be objected, that this latter is a pure fiction 

 of Huschke's, and that even were it as he 

 states, no conclusion concerning the nature 

 of the Malpighian corpuscles could fairly be 

 deduced from it. I have yet further to men- 

 tion, that, according to an oral communica- 

 tion of Ecker which was made to me many- 

 years ago, and recently repeated, concerning 

 the splenic vesicles of the mammalia, processes 

 and pedicles exist which are neither blood- 

 vessels nor partitions, and, therefore, may be 

 lymphatics, a view with which Poelmann's 

 and Gerlach's recent statements are some- 

 what in unison. The former of these two* 

 says that he followed the thoracic duct even 

 to the Malpighian corpuscles, with which it 

 became connected ; but he does not specify 

 more exactly the nature of this connec- 

 tion. The latter says that it has often 

 seemed to him as if the neighbouring Mal- 

 pighian corpuscles communicate with each 

 other through special tubes ; that he has been 

 led to this belief by the circumstance that 

 when the vesicles are compressed, their con- 

 tents are expelled in definite directions, 

 which a closer examination shows to be 

 canals, the coats of which tolerably resemble 

 in texture those of the Malpighian corpuscle ; 

 and that it is thence clear that the corpuscles 

 communicate with a system of tubes which 

 can scarcely be imagined to be any thing else 

 than the lymphatics. And thus, if the Mal- 

 pighian corpuscles are dilatations of the 

 lymphatics, they may possibly be commenced 

 as simple varicose swellings, or, what is more 

 probable, as lateral productions of these 

 vessels. I acknowledge that I am unable to 

 verify this fact last adduced, or to subscribe 

 to this connection of the Malpighian cor- 

 puscles with the lymphatics. In my researches 

 1 have given an attention to this point con- 

 formable to its great importance ; and although 

 I have not seen the commencement of the 

 lymphatics in the spleen, yet I have so far 

 come to a positive conclusion, that I am con- 

 vinced of the complete closure of the Mal- 

 pighian corpuscles. What Gerlach states of 

 the tubes into which the contents of the cor- 

 puscles are forced, is altogether erroneous ; 

 such tubes nowhere exist. Gerlach appears 

 to have been misled to this opinion by the 

 fact, that when a corpuscle is burst by pres- 

 sure, the contents rush out at several points, 



* Annales et Bulletin cle la Socictd de Medicine 

 de Gaud, 1846, p. 267. 



