COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES OF THE CHYLE AND LYMPH. 453 



in their place. The milky color, which the serum of blood sometimes exhibits 

 in healthy subjects, is due to an admixture of this molecular base with the circu- 

 lating fluid ($41). 



476. During the passage of the Chyle through the absorbents on the intes- 

 tinal edge of the Mesentery, towards the Mesenteric Glands, its character 

 changes in several important particulars. The presence of Fibrin begins to 

 manifest itself, by the slight coagulability of the fluid when withdrawn from 

 the vessels; and while this ingredient increases, the Albumen and the Oil- 

 globules gradually diminish in amount. The Chyle drawn from the neighbor- 

 hood of the mesenteric glands exhibits the Corpuscles regarded as characteristic 

 of that fluid; these are peculiarly abundant in the fluid drawn from the glands 

 themselves; and they are constantly found in it, through its whole subsequent 

 course. The Chyle corpuscles are much larger than the molecules just described, 

 and an examination of their character presents no difficulty. Their diameter 

 varies from l-7110th to l-2600th of an inch; the average being about l-4600th. 

 They are usually minutely granulated on the surface, seldom exhibiting distinct 

 nuclei, even when treated with acetic acid ; but sometimes three or four central 

 particles may be distinguished within them. They correspond in all essential 

 particulars with the Colorless Corpuscles of the Blood ( 145), but appear to be 

 in an earlier stage of formation. During the passage of the Chyle through the 

 mesenteric glands, a further increase in the proportion of Fibrin takes place ; 

 and the resemblance of the fluid to Blood becomes more apparent. The Chyle 

 drawn from the vessels intermediate between these and the central duct, pos- 

 sesses a pale, reddish-yellow color ; and, when allowed to stand for a time, under- 

 goes a regular coagulation, separating into clot and serum. The former is a 

 consistent gelatinous mass, which, when examined with the microscope, is found 

 to include the Chyle-corpuscles, each of them being surrounded by a delicate 

 film of oil : the Fibrin of which it is principally composed, differs remarkably 

 from that of the blood, in its inferior tendency to putrefaction; whence it may 

 be inferred that it has not yet undergone its complete vitalization. The serum 

 contains the Albumen and Salts in solution, and a proportion of the Chyle-cor- 

 puscles suspended in it. It is curious, however, that considerable differences in 

 the perfection of the coagulation, and in its duration, should present themselves 

 in different experiments. Sometimes the chyle sets into a jelly-like mass, which, 

 without any separation into coagulum and serum, liquefies again at the end of 

 half an hour, and remains in this state. This change takes place in the true 

 coagulum also, if it be kept moist for a sufficient length of time. The Chyle 

 from the Receptaculum and Thoracic Duct coagulates quickly, often almost 

 instantaneously ; and few or none of the corpuscles remain in the serum. The 

 fluid drawn from the Thoracic Duct, and from the Absorbent vessels which 

 empty their contents into it, is frequently observed to present a decided red 

 tinge, which increases on exposure to the air. This tinge appears to be due to 

 the presence of Red blood-corpuscles in an early stage of formation ( 150). 

 The ordinary corpuscles, moreover, have a more distinctly cellular character, 

 than have those of the chyle and lymph; and they are of larger size, their 

 diameter usually ranging from about l-2600th to l-2900th of an inch. In 

 these particulars, they correspond with the Colorless corpuscles of the Blood ; 

 as also in the change they exhibit on the action of acetic acid, which brings 

 into view three or four large central particles. The following table, slightly 

 modified from that of Gerber, 1 presents in a concise form a view of the rela- 

 tive proportions of the three chief ingredients in the Chyle, in different parts 

 of the absorbent system, and thus gives an idea of its advance in the process of 

 assimilation. 



1 "General Anatomy," edited by Gulliver, p. 49. 



