670 



OF SECRETION. 



Fig. 279. 



Portion of one of the patches of Peyer's glands, 

 from the end of the Ileum, highly magnified j the villi 

 are also displayed. 



those of the follicles of Lieberkiihn, which lead (as do those) into tubular 

 co3ca. On rupturing the surface of one of the white bodies, there is found a 



cavity, corresponding in extent with 

 the spot, and of considerable extent ; 

 but this cavity has usually no ex- 

 cretory opening, and the tubular fol- 

 licles by which it is surrounded, 

 have no connection with it. In its 

 interior is found a grayish-white 

 mucous matter, interspersed with 

 cells in various stages of develop- 

 ment. There is reason to believe 

 that, at a certain period of the ex- 

 istence of each of these glandulae, 

 an excretory orifice is formed, by a 

 sort of dehiscence in the wall of the 

 cavity ; and that, through this, the 

 product secreted by the contained 

 cells may be poured forth. Each 

 of them may be compared, on this 

 view, to one of the ultimate folli- 

 cles, which constitutes the secreting 

 portion of any one of the larger 

 glands ( 823) ; the only difference being, that the latter are situated at the 

 extremities of the ramifying ducts, by which their product is collected and 

 conveyed away ; whilst the former pour their secretion at once into the 

 cavity of the intestine. The membrane which covers in the cavity is ex- 

 tremely thin, and is very liable to be destroyed by ulceration ; hence it is, that, 

 after inflammation of the enteritic mucous membrane, the patches of Peyer 

 are often to be seen as a congeries of shallow open cells or follicles. 



877. Although the particular use of each variety of the Intestinal glandulfe 

 cannot yet be determined, there seems little doubt that their general function 

 is, to eliminate from the Blood those putrescent matters which would other- 

 wise accumulate in it; whether as one of the results of the normal ivaste of 

 the system, or as produced by various morbific causes, Avhich act as ferments, 

 and thus occasion an unusual tendency to decomposition in the solids and 

 fluids of the body. That the putrescent elements of the feces are not imme- 

 diately derived from the food taken in, so much as from the excreting action 

 of the Intestinal Glandnlae, appears from this consideration, among others ; 

 that faecal matter is still discharged, even in considerable quantities, long after 

 the intestinal tube has been completely emptied of its alimentary contents. 

 We see this in the course of many diseases, when food is not taken for many 

 days, during which time the bowels have been completely emptied of their 

 previous contents by repeated evacuations; and whatever then passes, in ad- 

 dition to the biliary and pancreatic fluids, must be derived from the intestinal 

 walls themselves. Sometimes a copious flux of putrescent matter continues 

 to take place spontaneously ; whilst it is often produced by the agency of 

 purgative medicine. The "colliquative diarrhrea," which frequently comes 

 on at the close of exhausting diseases, and which usually precedes death by 

 starvation, appears to depend, not so much upon a disordered state of the 

 intestinal glandulae themselves, as upon the general disintegration of the solids 

 of the body, which calls them into extraordinary activity for the purpose of 

 separating the decomposing matter. 



