TREATMENT OF INFLAMMATION. 229 



nation of the mechanism of absorption, I proceeded 

 to inquire how far the motion of the blood might be 

 employed as the active cause of this important pro- 

 cess; and, from an examination of the general 

 absorbing power possessed by all moving fluids, and 

 a comparison of the physical conditions most favour- 

 able to the operation of this power with those 

 regulating the passage of the blood through the 

 cylindrical capillaries and adjacent venous radicles, 

 I considered myself justified in advancing an opinion 

 " that the active power employed in the animal body 

 for the performance of absorption, resides in the 

 currents of blood which incessantly traverse the 

 veins and terminating portion of the capillaries.* ' 



The grounds on which I am for the present con- 

 tent to rest this opinion may be thus enumerated: 



1. It is an established physical law that all freely- 

 moving currents exercise an absorbing power, or, 

 in other words, draw with them any stagnant fluid 

 with which they may directly or indirectly come in 

 contact ; this power being proportioned to the rapidity 

 of their motion. 



2. It is an evident fact that the streams of blood 

 do traverse the minute blood-vessels with very great 

 velocity. 



3. The anatomical arrangement of the terminating 

 portion of the capillaries, and the conditions regu- 

 lating the passage of the blood through the veins, are 

 such as to facilitate the motion, and consequently, 

 increase the absorbing power, of the minute blood- 

 currents. 



* Medical Gazette, 1844. 

 Q 3 



