534: ABSORPTION. 



analysis. In operating upon the ox, however, Colin lias suc- 

 ceeded in collecting pure chyle in considerable quantity. In 

 this animal, the lacteals are not numerous, but are of consid- 

 erable size, and unite into a large trunk which follows the 

 course of the mesenteric artery and vein. On introducing, in 

 the living animal, a tube into this trunk or into one of its 

 large tributaries, a considerable quantity of fluid may be col- 

 lected in a very few minutes. 



The chyle of the ox, collected in this way by Colin, was 

 examined by Lassaigne, but unfortunately no complete anal- 

 ysis was made. The fluid contained 1*9 parts per 1,000 of 

 dried fibrin, which w r as double the quantity found in the 

 fluid from the thoracic duct of the same ruminant. The 

 serum contained 952'1 parts of water and 47*9 parts of solid 

 matters albumen and salts. 1 Although the analysis of this 

 fluid was not completed, it evidently contained all the organic 

 and inorganic principles which exist in pure lymph and in 

 the contents of the thoracic duct. Remembering, then, that 

 even during the period of greatest activity in the absorption 

 of alimentary matters, the contents of the thoracic duct con- 

 sist largely of lymph, we must take the analyses of this mixed 

 fluid as our only data for forming an approximative estimate 

 of the proportions of the various constituents of the chyle. 

 It must be borne in mind, also, that the composition of the 

 chyle is constantly varying with the diet. As we have al- 

 ready shown in treating of absorption, many of the aliment- 

 ary principles may be actually recognized in the fluid ob- 

 tained from the lacteals during digestion and absorption. 2 



The most complete analysis of chyle from the human 

 subject is given by Dr. Rees. 3 Tb.e fluid was taken from the 

 thoracic duct of a vigorous man, a little more than an hour 



1 COLIN, Traite de Physiologic Comparee des Animaux Domestiques, Paris, 

 1856, tome ii., p. 7. 



2 See page 445 etseq. 



" REES, On the Chemical Analysis of the Contents of the Tlioradc Dud in lh 

 Human Subject. Philosophical Transactions, London, 1842, p. 81 et seq. 



