SECRETION OF BILE. 627 



which the burden of separating it is thrown upon the Liver. Dr. Williams* 

 mentions, that, in a case of obstruction of the ductus 

 choledochus by malignant disease, which occasioned com- Fig. 238. 

 plete interruption to the passage of bile, and consequent 

 jaundice, scarcely an entire nucleated cell could be dis- 

 covered by attentive examination of a large part of the organ. 

 Nothing more than minute free particles of fat, and free float- 



^o- 1 -"' ' *'' '''-n 



ing amorphous granular matter, could be detected. He further 

 states that, in a case of fever, the hepatic cells were found to Hepatic Ceils 

 be almost entirely destitute of fatty particles; and that in gorged with Fat: 

 what is known as "granular liver," the granules (which have ciens-6 'adipose 

 much the appearance of tubercles) consist of cells, which globules.' 

 strongly resemble the ordinary cells of the parenchyma of the 

 Liver in every respect, except that they are almost or completely destitute of 

 yellow contents. Similar observations have been also recorded by Dr. G. 

 Budd. In two cases of jaundice examined by Mr. Gulliver, the hepatic cells 

 were gorged with biliary matter; some of them to such an extent, that they 

 had become nearly opaque. Perhaps if this condition had continued, these 

 cells would have been all ruptured, and the state of the organ would have 

 resembled that described by Dr. Williams. 



830. Previously to birth, the Liver is the only decarbonizing organ in the 

 system, the Lungs being at that time inert; but as soon as the latter come 

 into play, they separate from the Venous blood a large proportion of the car- 

 bon with which it is charged, and less blood is transmitted to the Liver for 

 this purpose. The diminution in the quantity of the Blood circulating through 

 this organ, is extremely rapid; and it is usually very evident within a short 

 time after birth, in the comparative paleness of the substance of the gland. It 

 has been proposed to give this fact a practical bearing, in those judicial in- 

 quiries which are directed to the determination of the question, whether or 

 not an Infant has respired after birth ; it having been conceived, that the 

 diversion of the current of the Blood from the Liver to the Lungs, consequent 

 upon the first inspiration, would be sufficient to make a certain difference in 

 their relative weights, if that inspiration had taken place. More careful and 

 extended observatipns, however, have satisfactorily proved that, although an 

 increase in the weight of the Lungs, and a diminution of that of the Liver, are 

 generally found to exist after respiration has been fully established, they are 

 not by any means constantly produced when the inspirations have been feeble, 

 as they frequently are for some hours or days after birth ; whilst, on the other 

 hand, it is not uncommon to meet, in infants that have not breathed, with Lungs 

 as heavy, and Livers as light, as in the average of those which have respired.t 



831. We have now to consider the conditions, under which the secretion 

 of Bile takes place ; and one of the most important of these, is the character 

 of the Blood with which the organ is supplied. We have seen that there is 

 anatomical reason for the belief, that the blood supplied by the Hepatic Artery 

 is not directly concerned in the Secretion ; but that it first serves for the 

 Nutrition of the organ, and then, passing into the Portal system (in the same 

 manner as does the blood of the mesenteric and other arteries), forms part of 

 the mass of Venous Blood, from which the secreting cells elaborate their pro- 

 duct. This view is borne out by the results of Experiment, and of Patholo- 

 gical observation. Thus, if the Vena Portse be tied, the secretion of bile still 

 continues, though in diminished quantity; and several cases are on record, in 

 which, through a malformation, the Vena Portae terminated in the Vena Cava 



* Guy's Hospital Reports, 1843. 



t See Dr. Guy, in Edinb. Med. and Surg. Journal, vols. Ivi. and Ivii. 



