40 THE SECRETIONS: 



The numbers in 2, under b, c, and d, refer only to the extrac- 

 tive matters and salts soluble in alcohol, while those under e, 

 f y and g refer not merely to them but also to the fat, the re- 

 lative proportions of which may be seen in the analyses 4, 5, and 

 6, of the chyle, in p. 357, vol. I. The numbers in 6, under e, f, 

 and g, indicate the amount of pure albumen in the chyle, whilst 

 under b, c, and d extractive matter and phosphate of lime are 

 included. It is to the two lines 2 and 6 of the above table that 

 I wish especially to direct attention. The chyme b, c, and d 

 differs from the chyle, by a deficiency of fat in the former, and 

 by an excess of albumen in the latter. If the fat is really con- 

 tained in the chyme, which we cannot doubt that it is, in what 

 state of combination can it occur so as to escape detection? 

 Does the chyme contain fatty acids, combined with the alkalies 

 (soaps), and the chyle, ordinary fat ? The chyme contains an 

 extraordinarily large amount of substances soluble in alcohol, 

 whose place in the chyle seems to be supplied by albumen; 

 may we not endeavour to clear up this difficulty by supposing 

 that some still unknown protein-compound, soluble in alcohol, 

 has been converted into albumen ? If the chyme contains so 

 small a quantity of pre-existing protein-compounds, as the above 

 analyses b } c, d teach us, we must assume that their extraordi- 

 nary increase in the chyle of the absorbents and of the tho- 

 racic duct, must be at least in part due to the influence of the 

 lymphatic glands and vessels, and therefore either directly or 

 indirectly to the blood. But, in opposition to this view, we 

 may remark that it is impossible to conceive that the blood can 

 impart that identical quality to the chyle which renders that 

 fluid the means of supplying nutriment to the blood, and of 

 imparting to it the carboniferous and nitrogenous materials 

 requisite to supply the place of those that have been removed 

 from the body in consequence of waste of tissue. If, however, 

 we bear in mind that the mesenteric veins absorb a fluid from 

 the chyme different from that which is taken up by the lym- 

 phatics, we may then perhaps account for the discrepancy 

 between the chemical composition of the chyme and the chyle, 

 by the assumption of a ' vis electiva' residing in the absorbent 

 vessels of these two systems; for the lymphatics absorb and 

 carry off a fluid abounding in protein and nitrogenous com- 

 pounds, while the venous system takes up an excess of the 



