520 OF SECRETION. 



upon the presence of a large quantity of fatty matter in the interior of the 

 cells ; which frequently appear as if gorged with it. This would seem to be 

 occasioned by the want of elimination of the fatty matter through the respira- 

 tory process ; and the consequent accumulation of it 

 Fig. 146. in the Blood, by which the burden of separating it is 



thrown upon the Liver. Dr. Williams* mentions that, 

 in a case of obstruction of the ductus choledochus by 

 malignant disease, -which occasioned complete inter- 

 ruption to the passage of bile, and consequent jaun- 

 dice, scarcely an entire nucleated cell could be dis- 

 covered by attentive examination of a large part of the 



Hepatic Cells gorged with < , . r c i r 



fat; , atrophied nucleus; 6, organ. Nothing more than minute free particles of 



adipose globules. i at > an d free floating amorphous granular matter, could 



be detected. He further states that, in a case of fever, 



the hepatic cells were found to be almost entirely destitute of fat particles ; 

 and that in what is known as "granular liver," the granules (which have 

 much the appearance of tubercles) consist of cells, which strongly resemble the 

 ordinary cells of the Parenchyma of the Liver in every respect, except that 

 they are almost or completely destitute of yellow contents. In two cases of 

 jaundice examined by Mr. Gulliver, the hepatic cells were gorged with biliary 

 matter ; some of them to such an extent that they had become nearly opaque. 

 Perhaps if this condition had continued, these cells would have been all rup- 

 tured, and the state of the organ would have resembled that described by Dr. 

 Williams. 



659. Previously to birth, the Liver is the only decarbonizing organ in the 

 system, the Lungs being at that time inert ; but as soon as the latter come into 

 play, they separate from the Venous blood a large proportion of the carbon 

 with which it is charged, and less blood is transmitted to the Liver for this 

 purpose. The diminution in the quantity of the Blood circulating through this 

 organ is extremely rapid ; and it is usually very evident within a short time 

 after birth, in the comparative paleness of the substance of the gland. It has 

 been proposed to give this fact a practical bearing, in those judicial inquiries 

 which are directed to the determination of the question, whether or not an 

 Infant has respired after birth ; it having been conceived that the diversion of 

 the current of the Blood from the Liver to the Lungs, consequent upon the 

 first inspiration, would be sufficient to make a certain difference in their rela- 

 tive weights, if that inspiration had taken place. More careful and extended 

 observations, however, have satisfactorily proved that, although an increase in 

 the weight of the Lungs, and a diminution of that of the Liver, are generally 

 found to exist after respiration has been fully established, they are not by any 

 means constantly produced when the inspirations have been feeble, as they 

 frequently are for some hours or days after birth ; whilst, on the other hand, 

 it is not uncommon to meet, in infants that have not breathed, with Lungs as 

 heavy, and Livers as light, as in the average of those which have respired.! 



660. We have now to consider the conditions under which the secretion of 

 Bile takes place ; and one of the most important of these is the character of 

 the Blood with which the organ is supplied. We have seen that there is ana- 

 tomical reason for the belief, that the blood supplied by the Hepatic Artery is 

 not directly concerned in the Secretion ; but that it first serves for the Nutri- 

 tion of the organ, and then passing into the Portal system (in the same manner 

 as does the blood of the mesenteric and other arteries), forms a part of the mass 

 of Venous Blood, from which the secreting cells elaborate their product. This 



* Guy's Hospital Reports, 1843. 



j- See Dr. Guy, in Edmb. Med. and Surg. Journal, vols. Ivi. and Ivii. 



