DUCTLESS GLANDS. 343 



of the spleen, this condition is also observed when the spleen 

 is perfectly healthy. 



Diminution in the proportion of red corpuscles in the 

 blood in passing through the spleen, in a very marked degree, 

 has been noted by Beclard, 1 Gray, 8 and others, and this gives 

 color to the supposition that the spleen is an organ for the 

 destruction of the blood-corpuscles ; but we know nothing 

 of the importance or significance of this process, and it is 

 not shown that the corpuscles exist in undue quantity in ani- 

 mals after the spleen has been removed. We learn nothing 

 more definite from, the fact that blood of the splenic vein 

 seems to contain an unusual quantity of pigmentary matter. 3 

 In connection with the marked diminution in the proportion 

 of blood-corpuscles, both Beclard 4 and Gray 6 observed a 

 marked increase in the fibrin and albumen in the blood of 

 the splenic vein. 



The significance of the facts just stated is so little under- 

 stood, that it would seem hardly necessary even to mention 

 them, except as an illustration of the small amount of defi- 

 nite information regarding the functions of the spleen that 

 has resulted from an examination of the blood coming from 

 this organ. We know nothing of any changes effected by 

 the spleen in the constitution of the lymph. 



Variations in the Volume of the Spleen during Life. 

 One of the theories with regard to the function of the spleen, 

 which merits a certain amount of consideration, is that it 

 serves as a diverticulum for the blood, when there is a ten- 

 dency to congestion of the other abdominal viscera. The 

 first attempt to formularize this idea and support it by ex- 

 perimental observations was made by Dobson, in 1830. He 

 noted the fact that the spleen was much larger in dogs, from 



1 BECLARD, Recherches experimentales sur les fonctions de la rate et sur celles 

 de la veine porte. Archives generates de medecine, Paris, 1848, 4me serie, tome 

 xviii., pp. 143, 442. 



2 GRAY, op. tit., p. 156. 3 Idem., p. 147. 



4 BECLARD, loc. tit., p. 443. 5 GRAY, loc. tit., p. 152. 



