INCOME OF MATTER 103 



are in the first instance carried to the liver. 

 In that organ, the largest gland in the body, 

 and the seat of intense physiological activities, 

 intricate chemical processes occur. One of 

 the results of these is the formation of bile, 

 which may be regarded as a waste product 

 arising from the chemical processes occurring 

 in the gland. The blood, laden with matters 

 absorbed from the alimentary canal, and 

 modified by the cells in the liver, issues from 

 the organ by the hepatic vein, which then 

 pours the blood into the venous system. The 

 matters thrown out in the bile will be con- 

 sidered in connection with excretion. 



Thus it will be seen that all the matters 

 absorbed in the alimentary canal ultimately 

 reach the venous system. They all contribute 

 to the making of blood. The fatty matters 

 absorbed by the villi are modified by the 

 mesenteric glands. They feed the protoplasm 

 of these glands, which then gives off leuco- 

 cytes or colourless corpuscles. These glands 

 are abdominal lymphatic glands, and they 

 share with other lymphatic glands (found 

 in many parts of the body) in the 



