EXTRACT IX. B. 



ENUMERATION OF THE MECHANISMS CONCERNED IN 

 THE ELIMINATION OF CEREBRO-SPINAL LYMPH. 



THE excretory mechanisms already described pertain to 

 the nervous system proper and its containing textures. The 

 addendum here dealt with belongs to the extra-nervine 

 aspect of that system, and flows out of what seems to be 

 a possible or probable leakage along the great arterial 

 vessels supplying the brain, viz. the external and internal 

 carotids, as well as the jugular veins. These vessels at 

 their entrance to, and exit, respectively, from the skull, and 

 their distribution within it, are bathed with cerebro-spinal 

 fluid, and supported by it, much in the same way as the 

 cephalic nerves proper are, hence the possibility and 

 probability of leakage along their adventitial coverings, 

 and the subsequent invasion in detail of the cervical and 

 thoracic regions of the body related to these vessels by the 

 residual products of brain waste, and hence the physiological 

 and hygienic necessity for preventing such an occurrence. 



The required preventive provision seems to us to be 

 supplied by two so-called ductless glandular bodies, or 

 more probably lymph hearts, called the carotid glands, 

 situated respectively on each side of the neck, at the 

 bifurcation of the common into the external, and internal, 

 carotids, where they form the continuations of the 

 common carotid artery. Here the leaking cerebro-spinal 

 fluid is received by the carotid glands in gravitating 

 currents, as they percolate through the arterial and 

 venous adventitial cellular textures, and is prevented 

 from descending into the vital organs below, and rendered 



