346 STRUCTURE OF THE LIVER. 



Peptonised Milk-Gruel yielded Roberts the most satisfactory results, 

 as a complete and highly nutritious food for weak digestions. Make a 

 thick gruel from any farinaceous food, e.g., oatmeal, and while still hot 

 add to it an equal volume of cold milk, when the mixture will have a 

 temperature of 52C. (125F.). To each pint of this mixture, add two 

 or three tea-spoonfuls of liquor pancreaticus and 20 grains of bicarbonate 

 of soda. It is kept warm for two hours under a " cosey." It is then 

 boiled for a few minutes and strained. The bitterness of the digested 

 milk is almost completely covered by the sugar produced during the 

 process (Eoberts). 



Peptonised soups and beef-tea have also been made and used with 

 success.] 



173. Structure of the Liver. 



The liver, the largest gland in the body, consists of innumerable 

 small lobules or acini, 1-2 millimetres (Jj - T V inch) in diameter. 

 These lobules are visible to the naked eye. All the lobules have the 

 same structure. 



1. The Connective-tissue and Capsule. The liver is covered by a thin fibrous 

 firmly adherent capsule, which has on its free surface a layer of endothelium derived 

 from the peritoneum. The capsule sends fine septa into the organ between the 

 lobules, but it is also continued into the interior at the transverse fissure, where it 

 surrounds the portal vein, hepatic artery, and bile duct, and accompanies these 

 structures as the Capsule of Glisson or interlobular connective-tissue. The spaces 

 in which these three structures lie are known as portal canals. In some animals 

 (pig, camel, polar bear), the lobules are separated from each other by the somewhat 

 lamellated connective-tissue of Glisson's capsule, but in man this is but slightly 

 developed, so that adjoining lobules are more or less fused. Very delicate con- 

 nective-tissue, but small in amount, is also found within the lobules (Fleischl, 

 Kupffer). Leucocytes are sometimes found in the tissue of Glisson's capsule. 



2. Blood-vessels. () Branches of the Venous System. If the vena porta be 

 traced from its entrance into the liver at the portal fissure, it will be found to 

 give off numerous branches lying between the lobules, and ultimately forming 

 small trunks which reach the periphery of the lobules, where they form a rich 

 plexus. These are the interlobular veins (Fig. 141, V. i). From these veins numerous 

 capillaries (e, c) are given off to the entire periphery of the lobule. The capillaries 

 converge towards the centre of the lobule. As they proceed inwards, they form 

 elongated meshes, and between the capillaries lie rows or columns of liver-cells 

 (cl, d). The capillaries are relatively wide, and are so disposed as to lie between 

 the edges of the columns of cells, and never between the surfaces of two neigh- 

 bouring cells. The capillai'ies converge towards the centre of each lobule, where 

 they join to form one large vein, the intralobular or central vein (V. c), which 

 traverses each lobule, reaches its surface at one point, passes out, and joins similar 

 veins from other lobules to form the sublobular veins (V. s). These in turn unite 

 to form wide veins, the origins of the hepatic veins, which open into the vena cava 

 inferior. 



(b.) Branches of the Hepatic Artery. The branches of the hepatic artery accom- 

 pany the branches of the portal vein and bile duct in the portal canals between 

 the lobiiles, and in their course they give off capillaries to supply the walls of the 



