9 HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY 



the nuclei, the spleen must be the chief place of uric acid 

 formation. 



The fact that we find, in the spleen-pulp, cells which con- 

 tain red blood corpuscles, in all stages of decay, favors the 

 view that the red blood corpuscles are also destroyed in the 

 spleen. Red blood corpuscles are supposed to be formed 

 in the embryonic spleen. 



The spleen can be extirpated without injury to the body ; 

 its functions can be entirely taken up by other organs (lymph 

 glands, red bone marrow, liver). 



In many cases of infectious diseases, the spleen is much 

 enlarged. Some claim that the spleen produces cells 

 [phagocytes ?] which neutralize the cause of the disease. 



