PROPERTIES OF CHYLE AND LYMPH. 409 



into the lymph-paths. The formation of lymph-corpuscles occurs either locally, 

 from division of the pre-existing cells, or new leucocytes wander out into the 

 follicular threads. The movement of the lymph through the gland is favoured by 

 the muscular action of the capsule. When the capsule contracts energetically, it 

 must compress the gland like a sponge, and the direction in which the fluid moves 

 is regulated by the position and arrangement of the valves. 



The researches of Teichmaun, His, Frey, Briicke, and v. Recklinghausen have 

 chiefly contributed to the elucidation of the morphological and physiological 

 relations of the lymph-glands. 



In addition to the constituents of lymph, the following chemical substances 

 have been found in lymphatic glands : Leucin (Frerichs and Stildeler) and 

 Xanthin. 



198. Properties of Chyle and Lymph. 



(1.) Both fluids are albuminous, colourless, clear juices, containing 

 lymph-corpuscles ( 9), which are identical with the colourless blood- 

 corpuscles. In some places, e.g., in the lymphatics of the spleen, especially 

 in starving animals (Nasse), and in the thoracic duct, a few coloured 

 blood-corpuscles have been found. The lymph-corpuscles are supplied to 

 the lymph and chyle, from the lymphatic glands and the adenoid 

 tissue. They also pass out of the blood-vessels and wander into the 

 lymphatics, and as coloured blood-corpuscles have also been seen to pass 

 out of the blood-vessels (Strieker, J. Arnold), this explains the occa- 

 sional presence of these corpuscles in some lymphatics ; but when the 

 pressure within the veins is high near the orifice of the thoracic duct, 

 red blood-corpuscles may pass into the thoracic duct. In addition, the 

 chyle contains numerous fatty granules each surrounded with an 

 albuminous envelope. [Thus the chyle, in addition to the constituents 

 of the lymph, contains, especially during digestion, a very large amount 

 of fat in the form of the finely emulsion ised fat of the food, which 

 gives it its characteristic white or milky appearance. During hunger, 

 the fluid in the lacteals resembles ordinary lymph. The fine fat 

 granules constitute the so-called " molecular basis " of the chyle.] 



Composition of Lymph. The lymph consists of a plasma with lymph- 

 coi'puscles suspended in it. The corpuscles for the most part investi- 

 gated in the form of pus-cells consist of swollen-up proteid and soluble 

 paraglolulin, together with lecithin, cerebrin, cholesterin, and fat, while their 

 nuclei yield nuclein. Nuclein contains P, and is prepared by the 

 artificial digestion of pus, as it alone remains undigested ; it is soluble 

 in alkalies, and is precipitated from this solution by acids. It gives a 

 feeble xanthoproteic reaction. When subjected to the prolonged action 

 of alkalies and acids, it yields substances allied to albumin and 

 syntonin. Miescher found glycogen in the lymph-corpuscles of serous 

 fluids. The lymph-plasma contains the three fibrin-factors ( 29), 



