THE GLANDULAR SYSTEM 239 



nutrition. During digestion the spleen becomes larger 

 and its contents are increased in amount; after digestion 

 it gradually diminishes in size, returning to its normal 

 condition. 



It is probably in this organ that the red corpuscles, 

 after having fulfilled their function in the blood, are 



FIG. i2i. Portion of gall-bladder and bile-ducts : i, Cavity of gall- 

 bladder; 2, cavity of calyx; 3, groove separating the calyx from the blad- 

 der ; 4, promontory ; 5, superior valve of calyx ; 6, cystic canal ; 7, common 

 bile-duct; 8, hepatic duct (Testut). 



disintegrated, for the splenic venous blood contains 

 relatively a small number of them. The white cor- 

 puscles, however, appear to be increased in number, 

 for the blood of the splenic vein contains an unusually 

 large proportion. The spleen serves also as a reservoir 

 for the blood when the portal circulation becomes 

 obstructed. 



