512 PHYSIOLOGICAL REMARKS [SECT. 2 1 8. 



the lymph or the chyle in the alveoli of the cortical substance, 

 flows free through a meshwork formed by blood-vessels and their 

 supporting connective tissue, so that the chyle and blood enter 

 into a much more intimate mutual action than in any other part, 

 the blood-vessels giving off materials to the chyle, and probably 

 taking up in return other substances from it. The great retarda- 

 tion of the chyle, moreover, which must necessarily take place in 

 the meshwork of the cortex, may allow of the substances separated 

 from the blood-vessels becoming further organised, even within the 

 cortex ; and this appears to me to constitute an additional reason 

 for regarding the structural conditions of the organs as truly 

 ' glandular/ and therefore their designation of lymphatic glands 

 may be very properly retained. 



A critical examination of the recent statements of Lndwig, Noll, Gcrlach, 

 Brucke and Dondcrs, on the structure of the lymphatic glands, will be found 

 in my Micr. Anat. ii.,z, pp. 539 — 544. 



With regard to the physiological condition of the lymphatic glands, I may 

 append the following remarks. Belonging to the same series as the ' vascular 

 glands,' we have so recently become acquainted with the true structure of 

 the lymphatic glands, that we are scarcely yet in a position to form reliable 

 hypotheses as to their function. I shall state in brief what I venture to 

 regard as the most important point in their physiology. The chief function 

 of the lymphatic glands appears to be the formation in them of the great 

 majority of the chyle and lymph-corpuscles. It is a long known fact, that 

 the chyle beyond the glands towards the thoracic duct, is richer in cell- 

 elements than in the lymphatic vessels between their origin and their 

 glands ; and it has, accordingly, been supposed by many writers, that the 

 glands have an influence in the production of these cells ; but no one has 

 ventured to lay stress upon this circumstance, because it has been hitherto 

 impossible to give precise information as to the manner and locality of their 

 origin. But the significance of the lymphatic glands in the process of blood- 

 formation was much confirmed, when, some years ago, Virchow gave to the 

 world his excellent treatises on Leucaemia, and brought forward cases where 

 an increase of the colourless elements of the blood was met with as a coin- 

 cidence of simple hypertrophy of the lymphatic glands (Arch, i., p. 571). 

 Since that time, this important function of the glands has obtained wider 

 recognition, and has been confirmed and illustrated by various authors 

 {Bennet and others). Still the anatomical relations of parts in the normal 

 gland had not been demonstrated, so that Virchow's hypothesis, that the 

 lymphatic glands were the seat of a process of blood-formation, though it 

 threw much light on his cases, yet was not supported on a firm physiological 

 basis. Such anatomical proof, however, has now been given ; and supported 

 upon it, Brucke, Danders and myself have exjiressed ourselves unanimously 

 in favour of the hypothesis, that the elements of the lymphatic glands go 

 over into the chyle and lymph. Having regard to all the facts mentioned 

 in this paragraph, I am of opinion that the tissue of the cortical substance is 



