PHYSIOLOGIC IMPORTANCE OF LYMPH 



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CERVICAL LYMPH 

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IN HOURS AND MINUTES 



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fig. 2. Typical experiment in anesthetized 

 dog showing disappearance of dextran of 

 average molecular weight of 35,000 from 

 plasma and its appearance in lymph of 

 various areas. 



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fig. 3. Same experiment as in fig. 2 showing 

 disappearance of radioactive albumin from 

 plasma and its appearance in lymph of various 

 areas. 



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of the plasma and 45 per cent of the circulating 

 plasma proteins." We have confirmed these observa- 

 tions (Magruder, Kern, and Mayerson, unpublished). 

 In 20 dogs, drainage of thoracic duct lymph for 8 

 hours resulted in an average drop of 16 per cent in 

 plasma volume. CoTui and his colleagues (46, 196) 

 found that when they bled dogs whose thoracic ducts 

 were ligated there was a greater drop in the hema- 

 tocrit level than in dogs bled but with intact lymphatic 

 circulation. This hemodilution lasted at least 8 days 

 after hemorrhage in the duct-ligated animals but 



disappeared in about 48 hours in nonduct-ligated 

 animals. 



Another aspect of the problem is the well-known 

 lymphagogue effect of infusions. As infusions are 

 made larger, lymph flow increases proportionately 

 so that with large infusions in dogs (2000 ml) the 

 thoracic duct lymph flow may reach a peak value of 

 about 14 times that of the preinfusion value (221). 

 The displacement of fluid from the circulation supple- 

 ments the diuresis through the kidneys and may be 

 considered as a fine adjustment of the blood volume 



