EXTRACT XIX. 



ON GLANDULAR STRUCTURES, OR ADENOGRAPHY 

 GENERALLY. 



THE structural and functional generalisations of the 

 older schools of anatomy are characterised by a firm and 

 wide grasp, of principles, an accurate appreciation of 

 structural detail, and knowledge of functional role, not by 

 any means second to that displayed by the new, and more 

 fully equipped, modern schools, and in no department of 

 structural anatomy is this more apparent than in that of 

 the glandular. 



The structures grouped as glands represent a large 

 and most important order of organs, the functional role 

 of which is of the most vital character, in the operations of 

 organic life, as well in the preparation of pabulum for 

 integration purposes, as in the rearrangement of disinte- 

 grated material and effete products, for final excretory 

 disposal ; they have been, by common assent, divided 

 into two classes, viz. glands which empty their contents 

 by a duct or ducts, and glands which are said to be duct- 

 less (Figs. 68, 69) ; this division, or classification, is con- 

 venient, but, as to whether it is anatomically true, we have 

 our misgivings, because the nature and function of the 

 gland, must determine whether its secretion is to become 

 immediately an excretion, or whether it is formed for 

 further use in the economy. Looked at from this point 

 of view, the ductless glands may be regarded as entirely 

 belonging to the latter class, or those whose secretion is 

 for further use in the economy, while a large proportion 

 of the ducted glands also discharge through their ducts 



