512 ABSORPTION. 



less, or of a slightly yellowish or greenish hue. When al- 

 lowed to stand for a short time, it becomes slightly tinged 

 with red ; and frequently it has a faint rose-color when first 

 discharged. Miscroscopical examination shows that this red- 

 dish color is dependent upon the presence of a few blood- 

 corpuscles, which are entangled in the clot as the lymph 

 coagulates, thus accounting for the deepening of the color 

 when the fluid has been allowed to stand. The origin of 

 these red corpuscles has long been a subject of discussion. 

 Their constant presence in lymph or chyle discharged by 

 fistulous openings has led to the opinion that they are normal 

 constituents of these fluids ; and this view has been adopted 

 without reserve by those who assume that the blood-corpus- 

 cles are formed from the white corpuscles, or leucocytes. If 

 this view of the formation of the corpuscular elements of the 

 blood be adopted, there is no good reason why red corpuscles 

 should not be formed from the leucocytes in the lymph and 

 chyle as well as in the blood itself ; particularly as the clear 

 fluid of the lymph and chyle contains nearly all the principles 

 found in the plasma of the blood. On the other hand, many 

 regard the presence of red corpuscles as always accidental ; 

 and in support of this view, Robin brings forward the fact 

 that red corpuscles are never found in lymph taken from a 

 portion of a vessel included between two ligatures. 1 This is 

 certainly a very strong argument against the constant and 

 normal existence of red corpuscles in the lymph, particularly 

 as the connection between the lymphatics and the blood-ves- 

 sels is very close, and all operations upon the lymphatic sys- 

 tem involve disturbances in the circulation. There is no 

 positive evidence of the formation of red corpuscles from the 

 leucocytes ; and if it be the fact that red corpuscles never 

 exist in lymph taken from a portion of a lymphatic vessel 

 included between two ligatures, it is fair to assume that 

 the presence of these corpuscles in lymph and chyle is 



1 ROBIN, Programme du Cours cTHistologie profcsse d la Faeulte de Mede- 

 dne de Paris, 1862-'63, et 1863-'64, Paris, 1864, p. 112. 



