130 On the Organs nf Absorption. 



seven hours before, in order that his abdominal lymphatic 

 vessels might be easily perceived, we made an incision' 

 through the parietes of the abdomen, and took from thence 

 a coil of the small intestines, upon which we applied two 

 ligatures about five inches apart from each other. The 

 lymphatics, which had their origin in this turn of the in- 

 testine, were very white and very apparent from the chyle 

 which they contained. Two liQ;atures were placed at the 

 distance of one centimetre upon each of these lymphatics ; 

 we cut these vessels between the two ligatures; we took 

 great care in our experiment, and assured ourselves, by 

 every possible means, that the curvature of the intestine, 

 taken from the abdomen, had no further communication 

 with the body by the lymphatic vessels. Five arteries and 

 five mesenteric veins ended in the porlion of the intestine 

 comprised between the two lii^atiires ; four of these arteries 

 and four of the veins were tied and cut in the same man- 

 ner as the lymphatics ; the two exfremiti-es of the curva- 

 ture of the intestine were cut, and eniirely separated from 

 the rest of the small intestine. Thus we had a portion of 

 the intestine about five inches in length, not communicat- 

 ing with the rest of the body, but by one artery and one 

 mesenteric vein ; these two vessels were separated at the 

 distance of four fingers breadth. We even raised the cel- 

 lular substance, lest some lymphatic vessels might lie there 

 concealed. We had nothing further by which to obtain 

 a positive result, than to inject a small quantity of the upas 

 tieute into the cavity of the intestinal curvature. This was 

 also done with proper precautious to prevent the escape of 

 the injected litiuor. Tlie curvature of the intestine, en- 

 veloped in fine lineo, was replaced in the abdomtii ; it was 

 then precisely one o'clock. To our great astonishment, 

 about six minutes after, the general effects of the poison 

 diffused themselves with their usual intensity, and \n such 

 a manner that every thing proceeded as if the curvature of 

 the intestine bed been in its natural state. 



The animal being dead, v.e examined the parts; no li- 

 gature was displaced, nothing could make us suppose that 

 the poison had passed into the abdominal cavity. 



This experiment, repeated several times without any 

 modification in the result, ajipeared to us most conclusive; 

 it proves, at least as far as can be proved in physiology, 

 that the lacteal vessels are not the exclusive organs of in- 

 testinal absorption. 



This kind of absorption, different from that of the lym- 

 phatic, may be peculiar to the intestines; it would be im- 

 portant to know, if it could be discovered to exist in the 

 •ther parts. W^e 



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