638 



ABSORPTION. 



their ^ origin from a cellular filament, which progressively becomes a 

 villosity, an areolar spongiole, a capillary, and, at length, a lymphatic 



Fig. 250. 



Chyliferous Apparatus. 



A, A. A portion of the jejunum. 6, 6, ft, b. Superficial lacteals. e, c, c. Mesentery, d, d, d. First 

 row of mesenteric glands, e, e, e. Second row. /,/. Receptaculum chyli. g. Thoracic duct. h. 

 Aorta, t, t. Lymphatics. 



trunk; the absorbent action of these vessels being a kind of imbibition. 

 Lastly, Professor Muller 1 affirms, that he has never perceived any 

 opening at the extremity of the villi: in his earlier examinations, he 

 was unable to see appearances of foramina on any part of their sur- 

 face, but he has observed, in portions of the intestines of the sheep 

 and the ox, which had been exposed for some time to the action of 

 water, that over the whole surface of the villi indistinct depressions 

 were scattered, which might be regarded as oblique openings. He 

 adds, however, that he makes this observation with great hesitation 

 and distrust. 



1 Handbuch der Physiologic, u. s. w., and Baly's translation, p. 269, Lond., 1838. 



