LYMPH FLOW 



51 



After fluid has been transported through the skin into the 

 subcutaneous lymph sinuses, it is then conveyed from the 

 latter in the form of lymph to the blood-vascular system, 

 where it mingles with the blood plasma. Some of this blood 

 plasma is then transported in the form of lymph through the 

 walls of the blood capillaries into the tissue spaces, from 

 which it may be taken up and held by the tissue colloids and 

 be collected by the blindly-ending lymphatics which return 

 it to the blood-vascular system. In other words, when the 

 living frog remains in water, a continuous flow of fluid is 

 taking place through the skin into the subcutaneous lymph 



sinuses, and thence through the blood-vascular system and 

 tissue spaces back again into the lymphatic system. 



On the assumption that the same factors are involved in the 

 transportation of fluid through the endothelial walls of the 

 capillaries of the blood-vascular and lymphatic systems, as 

 through the skin into the subcutaneous lymph sinuses, we 

 have at least a working hypothesis to account for the estab- 

 lishment and maintenance of a continuous flow of fluid be- 

 tween the blood capillaries and those of the blindly-ending 

 lymphatics. In any event, on this assumption, we can dem- 

 onstrate a somewhat analogous condition by the following 

 experiment which is based on the results of experiments 

 mentioned in the preceding pages. 



