1388 Journal of Applied Microscopy 



son, who gave them the name of ha^molymph glands. Clarkson and others have 

 studied the occurrence and minute anatomy of these organs in the lower animals, 

 but little attention has been paid to the haemolymph nodes of man. The author 

 bases his report on the investigation of these structures in autopsies on eighty 

 subjects. Haemolymph nodes occur in greatest number in the prevertebral 

 retroperitoneal region near the great vessels, near the adrenal and renal vessels, 

 along the brim of the pelvis, and in the root of the mesentery. The differ as to 

 location, number, and size in different individuals. They undergo atrophy in old 

 age. They usually lie embedded in fat, and as a rule very near to the wall of 

 some large vessel. An interesting and suggestive feature is the richness of their 

 blood supply. The haemolymph nodes cannot be definitely distinguished from 

 the ordinary lymph nodes by naked-eye examination. This is owing to the fact 

 that the blood sinuses are usually empty and collapsed after death. When the 

 sinuses are filled with blood the bodies are deep red or bluish, and the smaller 

 ones are easily mistaken for blood clots. 



Two types of haemolymph nodes exist, to which Warthin has given the names 

 splenolymph gland and marrowlymph gland, as indicating their structure and 

 probable function. Between these types are transition forms, and also between 

 these bodies and the spleen on the one hand and ordinary lymph nodes on the 

 other. 



The splenolymph node is the more frequent form. It possesses a relatively 

 thick capsule. Trabeculae pass from this into the organ dividing it into irregu- 

 lar lobules. Branches of a peripheral blood sinus accompany the trabeculae, 

 increasing in size as they approach the center. Between the sinuses lies the 

 lymphoid tissue. Round collections of lymphoid cells, suggesting splenic follicles, 

 are common. Next to the small lymphocyte the large mononuclear cell is the 

 most common form in the lymphoid tissue. Red blood corpuscles lie free in the 

 meshes of the reticulum, and there is a varying amount of blood pigment. 

 Mononuclear phagcoytes containing red blood corpuscles and blood pigment 

 are found in the recticulum and in the central blood sinuses. Scattered areas 

 of a hyaline substance which stains blue with Mallory's connective tissue stain 

 occur in the lymphoid tissue. Fuchsinophile bodies, probably the product of 

 the destruction of the red blood corpuscles, are seen in the reticular meshes and 

 also in the mononuclear phagocytes. In the marrowlymph node there is a 

 greater variety of cells than in the splenolymph node. Mononuclear eosinophiles 

 are more numerous, and multinuclear cells and large mononuclear forms with 

 deeply staining knobbed nuclei occur. 



Warthin believes that under normal conditions the haemolymph nodes are 

 probably concerned chiefly in haemolysis and leucocyte formation and play but 

 little part, if any, in the production of red blood corpuscles. Under pathologi- 

 cal conditions of the blood these bodies may assume a blood-forming function. 

 The haemolymph nodes take on the structure of either spleen or bone-marrow 

 and compensate for these organs when their functional power is diminished by 

 disease. J- h. p. 



