ABSORBENTS OF THE VISCERA OF THE THORAX. 303 



lions as those of the Mesentery. It is stated by Winslow, that 

 he demonstrated to the Academy of Sciences at Paris, chyle 

 in the absorbents of the Mesocolon; this fact will assist us in 

 accounting for the effects of nutritive glysters. *> 



The Gastro-Epiploic Glands are situated between the lami- 

 nse of the omenta, where they join the curvatures of the sto- 

 mach. Their number seldom exceeds four or five for each 

 curvature, and they receive the lymphatics of the stomach and 

 omenta. 



The Cseliac Glands are those which belong to the liver, the 

 spleen, and the pancreas; they follow the course of the blood 

 vessels of these organs, and are traversed by their absorbents. 

 The trunk of the vena portarum is surrounded by them,, and 

 Mr. Cruikshank says, that he has seen the biliary and pancre- 

 atic ducts in a state of compression from their tumefaction. 



The Lumbar Glands are v.ery numerous attd large; they are 

 scattered over the whole region, from the base of the sacrum to 

 the pillars of the diaphragm, lying on each side of the bodies of 

 the lumbar vertebras, and in front of the abdominal aorta and 

 vena cava, being concealed by the root of the mesentery and 

 of the mesocolon. They may be considered as continuations 

 of all the preceding congeries of glands in the abdomen, and, 

 therefore, when they, along with the vessels leading to them, 

 are successfully injected, they form so thick a plexus of absorb- 

 ents, reaching from the pelvis to the concavity of the diaphragm, 

 that the great blood vessels can scarcely be seen for them, 

 Many of the vessels reaching from one to another, are as large 

 as a crow-quill 



SECT, VI. ABSORBENTS OF THE VISCERA OF THE THORAX. 



The Absorbents of the Lungs are thought to be next in abun- 

 dance after those of the liver, and are likewise divided into two 

 sets, the superficial and the deep-seated. The former are be- 

 neath the pleura pulmonalis. Mr. Cruikshank* says, that they 



* Loc. cit. p. 194. 



