4:18 ABSORPTION. 



of these essays contained very little concerning the general 

 process of absorption from the alimentary canal, but was 

 supposed to throw some light upon the function of the 

 spleen, as an organ in which part of the chyle was mixed 

 with the blood. The second essay was published two years 

 after the researches of Magendie had been communicated to 

 the Institute of France. 



The results of the experiments of Magendie were of the 

 most positive character. 1 In his first experiments, it was 

 found that after ligation of the thoracic duct in dogs, poison- 

 ing by a solution of upas introduced into the peritoneal cavity, 

 the pleural cavity, the stomach, intestines, or muscles of the 

 thigh, took place with no diminution in intensity or rapidity. 

 The second series of experiments was even more striking. The 

 abdomen of a dog, that had eaten largely seven hours before, 

 was opened, and a loop of the small intestine drawn out. 

 About fifteen inches of the canal was separated from the rest 

 by two ligatures, and finally cut off beyond them. The lym- 

 phatics arising from the isolated portion of the intestine, 

 which were very apparent, were all tied with two ligatures, 

 and divided between them. Five mesenteric arteries and 

 five veins then remained connecting the intestine with the 

 vascular system. Four of the arteries and veins were ligated 

 and divided ; 'and the single artery and vein which remained 

 were isolated for about two inches of their length, and even 

 the cellular coat dissected off, for fear that it might be said to 

 contain lymphatics. A small quantity of upas was then in- 

 troduced into the isolated portion of the intestine (which had 

 no communication with the body except by the single mesen- 

 teric artery and vein), the loop was enveloped in a fine cloth 

 and returned to the abdominal cavity. In about six minutes, 

 the general effects of the poison were manifested with their 

 usual intensity. This experiment was repeated several times, 



1 MAGENDIE, Memoire sur les Organes de I 1 Absorption chez les Mammiferes ; 

 lu d I'lnstilut le 7 aout, 1809. Journal de Physiologic, Paris, 1821, tome i., p. 

 18 et seq. 



