>» 
e 
appearance. They are supposed to exist in every part of the body, al- 
though they have not yet been detected in some, as the brain,&e. They | 
originate in the cellular membrane, the viscera, the external sur- : 
face, and every part of the body; and terminate in the chest canal, 
or chest veins. Lymphatic glands are situated every where in the . 
course of the lymphatics. ae 
The use of the absorbents is to carry back the lymph from. differ- : 
ent parts ; to convey the chyle from the intestines to the chest canal, age. 
where they become mixed and diluted ; and to absorb substances 
from the surfaces on which they originate. — 
ABSORBENTS OF THE HEAD AND NECK. | 
Absorbents are found on the scalp and about the viscera of the = 
neck, which unite into a considerable branch that accompanies the 
jugular vein. Absorbents have not been detected in the human brain ; 
yet there can be no doubt of there being such vessels: it is probable 
that they pass out of the skull through the canals of the head arteries 
and lacerated hole in the base of the skull, on each side, and join 
above the jugular branch, which passes through some glands as-it 
proceeds into the chest to the angle of the chest and jugular vein. - — 
ABSORBENTS OF THE UPPER EXTREMITIES. 
The absorbents of the upper extremities are divided into superfi- 
cial and deep seated. ‘The superficial absorbents ascend under the 
skin in every direction to the wrist, from whence a branch proceeds 
upon the back surface of the fore-arm to the head of the outer-a 
over the internal joint eminence of the arm-bone, up to the arm-pit, - 
receiving serveral branches as‘it proceeds. Another branch proceeds 
from the wrist along the inner part of the fore-arm, and forms a net- __ 
work with a branch coming over the fore-arm bone, from the back _ 
part, and ascends on the inside of the arm-bone to the glands of the 
arm-pit. gai 
The deep-seated absorbents accompany the larger blood vessels, 
and pass through two glands about the middle of the upper-arm, aud 
ascend to the glands of the arm-pit. The superficial and deep-se:z 
ed absorbents having passed through the arm-pit glands, for 
‘trunks, which unite into one, to be inserted with the jugular absor- 
bents into the chest duct, at the angle formec by the union of the 
ugular veins 
ehest and 
‘ABSORBENTS OF THE INFERIOR EXTREMITIES. 
These are also superficial and deep-seated. The superficial ones 
lie between the skin and muscles. Those of the toes and foot. 
form a branch which ascends upon the back of the foot, over the ten- 
_ dons of the front leg muscle, forms with the other branches a net-w 
above the ancles, then proceeds along the shin-bone over the 
sometimes passes through a gland, and proceeds up the inside 
follow the course 
ve thigh artery, in which course t 
