HIDDEN PROCESSES 153 



kind of network, in the meshes of which are 

 numerous granular corpuscles like those found 

 in lymph. There are also numerous red 

 corpuscles and also cell-like bodies enclosing 

 red corpuscles or pigmentary matter. The 

 splenic artery which brings blood to the spleen 

 divides into branches like the twigs of a tree ; 

 there are no capillaries; the blood infiltrates 

 the pulp ; and from the spaces in which the 

 pulp lies veins originate which, by confluence, 

 form the splenic vein. The blood of the splenic 

 vein, as already mentioned, passes to the 

 liver (p. 140). The spleen has also curious little 

 masses of lymphoid tissue, called Malpighian 

 corpuscles, which are closely connected with 

 the branching vessels. The chief function of 

 the spleen is the formation of colourless blood 

 corpuscles, especially by the lymphoid tissue in 

 the Malpighian bodies. The blood of the splenic 

 vein is always rich in white corpuscles. There 

 is little doubt also that disintegration of effete 

 corpuscles occurs in the spleen, and from 

 these chemical substances are formed like 

 those originating in nitrogenous metabolism, 

 such as those of the uric acid series (p. 135). 



