VENOUS. 677 



all gastro-enterites are accompanied by tumefaction of the mesenteric 

 glands : although chyle may be loaded with acrid, irritating, or even 

 poisonous matters, it traverses the glands with impunity, provided it 

 does not inflame the gastro-enteric mucous surface. "Our attention," 

 Broussais 1 adds, "has been for a long time directed to this question, 

 and we have not observed any instance of mesenteric ganglionitis, which 

 had not been preceded by well-evidenced gastro-enteritis." The dis- 

 covery will not immortalize the "doctrine." We should as naturally 

 look for tumefaction of the mesenteric glands or ganglia, in cases of 

 irritation of the intestine, as for enlargement of the glands of the groin 

 in irritation of the foot. 



Lastly; the lymph, from whatever source obtained united with the 

 chyle is discharged into the venous system. Both, therefore, go to 

 the composition of the body. They are entirely analogous in proper- 

 ties; but differ materially in quantity; the nutritious fluid, formed 

 from materials obtained from without, being far more copious. A due 

 supply of it is required for continued existence ; yet the body can live 

 for a time, when the supply of nutriment is entirely cut off. Under 

 such circumstances, the necessary proportion of nutritive fluid must be 

 obtained from the decomposition of the tissues; but, from the perpetual 

 drain, that takes place through the various excretions, this soon becomes 

 insufficient, and death is the result. In a note to the recent editions 

 of his "Principles of Human Physiology," 2 Dr. Carpenter remarks, that 

 at the time of the publication of the first edition of his work (1842) he 

 was under the impression, that the view maintained by him, "that the 

 special function of the lymphatics like that of the lacteals is nutritive 

 absorption," was altogether novel. The author attaches little value to 

 originality in such matters; but he thinks it well to state, that the doc- 

 trine in the text is, that adopted by him in the first edition of this work 

 (1832), and taught by him ever since he has been a teacher; yet he is 

 far from regarding it as original with him. 



We have seen, then, that both chyle and lymph are poured into the 

 venous blood; itself a compound of the residue of arterial blood, and 

 various heterogeneous absorptions. As an additional preliminary to the 

 investigation of the agents of internal absorption, let us inquire into the 

 nature and course of the fluid contained in the veins; but so far only 

 as to enable us to understand the function of absorption ; the other con- 

 siderations relating to the blood appertain to the function of circulation. 



III. VENOUS ABSORPTION. 



The apparatus of venous absorption consists of myriads of vessels 

 called veins, which commence in the very tissues, by what are called 

 capillary vessels, and thence pass to the great central organ of the cir- 

 culation the heart; receiving, in their course, the products of the va- 

 rious absorptions effected not only by themselves, but by the chyliferous 



1 Traite" de Physiologie, &c., and Bell and La Roche's translation, 3d Amer. edit., p. 362, 

 Philadelphia, 1832. 



2 Fourth American edition, p. 506, Philad., 1850. See on this subject, Adelon, Art. Absorp- 

 tion, in Diet, de Medecine, i. p. 117, Paris, 1821; arid Moultrie, American Journal of the 

 Medical Sciences for 1827, and On the Organic Functions of Animals, Charleston, 1844. 



