CHYLOSIS. 653 



has been well observed 1 an important source of fallacy attends all deduc- 

 tions founded upon the differences observed in the chyle in the several 

 parts of its course through the lacteals, which is, that we cannot be at 

 all sure how far this may not be dependent upon an actual interchange 

 of ingredients with the blood, by imbibition through the very thin 

 parietes of the contiguous vessels. The whole question, as Dr. Carpen- 

 ter properly remarks, offers a wide scope for farther inquiry. 



The following table, slightly modified from one by Gerber, 2 exhibits 

 concisely the relative proportions of the three main ingredients of the 

 chyle fat, albumen, and fibrin in various parts of the absorbent sys- 

 tem ; and affords some idea of its change in the process of assimilation. 



f Fat in maximum quantity (numerous fat or oil glob- 



I. In the afferent or peripheral lac- I ules). 



teals (from the intestines to the -\ Albumen in minimum quantity (few or no chyle cor- 

 mesenteric glands). puscles}. 



^ Fibrin almost entirely wanting. 



II. In the efferent or central lacteals f F * in medium T antit y ( few ^r oil globules) 

 (from the mesenteric glands to the \ AUnunm m m "num quantity (chyle corpuscles very 



, , x 1 numerous, but imperfectly developed), 



thoracic duct). ^ ^^ m m ' edium g^J 



C Fat in minimum quantity (fewer or no oil globules). 



Ill In the thoracic duct j Albumen in medium quantity (chyle corpuscles nume- 



1 rous and more distinctly cellular). 

 ^ Fibrin in maximum quantity. 



In another place, various hypotheses, that have been indulged re- 

 garding the functions of the spleen, will be noticed. It is proper, how- 

 ever, to refer, here, to one which has been proposed by MM. Tiede- 

 mann and Gmelin. They consider the organ a dependent ganglion of 

 the absorbent system, which prepares a fluid destined to be mixed with 

 the chyle to effect its animalization ; and assert, that the chyle coagu- 

 lates little or not at all before it has passed through the mesenteric 

 glands ; but, after this, fibrin begins to appear, and is much more abund- 

 ant after the addition of the lymph from the spleen, which contains a 

 large quantity of fibrin. Before passing the mesenteric glands, the 

 chyle contains no red particles ; but it does so immediately afterwards, 

 and more particularly after it is mixed with the lymph from the spleen, 

 which abounds with them, and with fibrin. M. Voisin, 3 who, as we have 

 seen, considers that the chyliferous vessels ramify in the substance of 

 the liver, is of opinion that, by the action of the liver, a species of puri- 

 fication is produced in the chyle, by which the latter is better fitted to 

 mingle with, and form part of, the blood ; but neither his anatomical 

 nor physiological views on the subject have met with much countenance. 



Prior to the discovery of the chyliferous vessels, the mesenteric veins 

 were regarded as agents of chylous absorption ; and as these veins ter- 

 minate in the vena portse, which is distributed to the liver, this last was 

 considered the first organ of sanguification ; and to impress upon the 

 chyle a primary elaboration. In this view, the great size of the organ 

 compared with the small quantity of bile furnished by it, and the excep- 

 tion, which the mesenteric veins and vena portse present to the rest of 



1 Carpenter, Human Physiology, 2d Amer. edit., p. 426, Philad., 1845. 



2 Ibid., p. 427. 



3 Nouvel Aperu sur la Physiologic du Foie, &c., Paris, 1833. 



