290 THE ALIMENTARY TRACT, ETC. 



In 1856 Donders described the cells as being open, and as discharging their contents 

 into the canal ; the cell-walls being then pressed together by the neighbouring cells, 

 and the cell-contents being then gradually reformed. 



In the same year Kiilliker published results closely agreeing with those of Donders, 

 and he traced the various stages of the process. 



1857. Brettauer and Steinach held them to be cells which had lost their contents, 

 and as the ' cuticular border' was absent, concluded that the cell-contents were in 

 closer connection with the ' border ' than with the rest of the cell-wall. 



1865. Lipsky and Sachs both doubted the presence of such cells, and considered 

 them due to the action of reagents or post-mortem change. 



1866. Letzerich described the cells as open, and regarded them as the commencement 

 of the lacteal system, while Donitz thought the whole appearance due to reagents. 



1867. Schultze and Eimer, independently, described them as unicellular glands. 

 Erdmann, however, again denied their occurrence under normal conditions. 



Oeffinger held the goblet-cells to be modified ordinary cylindrical epithelium cells ; 

 in which view he was supported by Arnstein. 



1868. Schultze and Eimer, after renewed investigations, reiterated their former 

 opinions. 



1869. Eimer described the goblet-cells as secreting mucin, and as capable, by 

 division, of throwing out pus-like cells. 



1876. Krause described the cells as containing granular contents, which under 

 certain conditions are thrown out. 



1877. Tolldt considered them artificial productions. Edinger asserted that they are 

 formed from the cylindrical cells. 



1S77-1885. Partsch (1S77), Klein and Heboid (1879), Stohr (1880). Patzelt (1882), 

 Haller (1883), Holl (1885), support the last view. 

 1S78. Hoffmann supported Schultze's views. 



1886. List describes these organs as unicellular mucous glands. 



1887. Paneth described them as secreting mucous and as being derived from the 

 cylindrical cells.] 



(5) [The blood-vessels of the small intestine (p. 234) have been 

 described by Lang-er ; he finds the vessels arrang-ed in networks, 

 one a subserous network^ placed underneath the serous coat, and 

 formed of elongated, irregular, four-cornered meshes. When the 

 intestine is distended the meshes are rectangular. 



The vessels to the mucous membrane divide and anastomose very 

 freely in the submucous laver, and then form an irregular network 

 on the inner surface of the j\l.MSC'ii/ans nnico-'ia ; this network follows 

 all the foldings of the mucous membrane, and thereby supplies a 

 double layer to each villous fold of the mucous membrane. The 

 meshes are usually four-sided or five-sided.] 



(6) [The lymphatics of the .small intestine (Figs. 190, 191). The 

 lymphatic vessels on reaching the intestine usually bifurcate ; the 

 two branches, as a rule, follow and enclose an arterial twig. From 

 the serous layer they receive the contents of a ver}^ fine lymphatic 

 plexus, the lumens of which are slightly greater than that of the 

 corresponding capillaries ; from the mucous layer they receive the 

 contents of the lacteals : between these two layers the lymphatics 

 anastomose very freely by means of numerous branches (Langer). 



The lacteals are lined with an epithelioid layer and traversed by 

 connective-tissue trabeculae, which have a like covering-. The 



