ABSORPTION. 



419 



a fibrous supporting stroma. The interior of the gland is seen on sec- 

 tion, even when examined with the naked eye, to be made up of two 

 parts, an outer or cortical (fig. 283, c, c), which is light colored, and an 

 inner of redder appearance, the medullary portion (fig. 281). In the 

 outer or cortical part of the gland (fig. 283) the intervals between the 

 trabeculae are comparatively large, and form more or less triangular in- 

 tercommunicating spaces termed alveoli; while in the more central or 

 medullary part is a finer meshwork formed by the more free anastomosis 

 of the trabecular process. Within the alveoli of the cortex and in the 

 meshwork formed by the trabeculae in the medulla, is contained the 



Fig. 283. Diagrammatic section of lymphatic gland, a.l., afferent ; e.L, efferent lymphatics; 

 C, cortical substance; Lh., reticulating cords of medullary substance; l.s., lymph-sinus; c., fibrous 

 coat sending in trabeculae ; t.r., into the substance of the gland. (Sharpey.) 



proper gland structure. In the former it is arranged as follows : occu- 

 pying the central and chief part of each alveolus is a more or less wedge- 

 shaped mass of adenoid tissue, densely packed with lymph corpuscles; 

 but at the periphery surrounding the central portion and immediately 

 next the capsule and trabeculae, is a more open meshwork of adenoid 

 tissue constituting the lymph sinus or channel, and containing fewer 

 lymph-corpuscles. The central mass is inclosed in endothelium, the 

 cells of which join by their processes, the processes of the adenoid frame- 

 work of the lymph sinus. The trabeculae are also covered with endothe- 

 lium. The lining of the central mass does not prevent the passage of 

 fluids and even of corpuscles into the lymph sinus. The framework of 

 adenoid tissue of the lymph sinus is nucleated, that of the central mass 

 is non-nucleated. At the inner part of the alveolus, the wedge-shaped 



