CHAPTER V. 



THE LYMPH AND CHYLE. THE SO-CALLED 

 TRANSUDATIONS, NORMAL AND PATHOLOGICAL. 



SEC. 1. THE LYMPH (INCLUDING THE CHYLE). 

 Preliminary Observations. 



On the As the blood circulates through the capillaries of 



nature of the the body there is a continual transudation, through 

 Lymph. their walls, of water holding in solution organic, 



mineral, and gaseous constituents, which are destined for the nutrition 

 of the elements of the tissues. This nutritive fluid bathes the tissue 

 elements, and is the agent which supplies them directly with the 

 matters which they require for their maintenance and repair, whilst, 

 at the same time, it removes from them soluble effete matters which 

 would, if accumulating, impair the functional activity of the tissues 

 in which they have been formed. The fluid which has transuded 

 from the blood-vessels finds its way into the minutest radicles of the 

 lymphatic system, and is then carried, sooner or later, to lymphatic 

 glands, and through them into larger lymphatics which ultimately 

 empty their contents into the large venous trunks in proximity to the 

 heart. The term lymph, although usually applied to the liquid 

 contained in the lymphatic vessels, is also applicable to the fluid 

 which is found in those extra- vascular spaces from which the 

 lymphatics originate, or with which they communicate to the fluid, 

 for instance, which bathes the lacunae of connective tissue, or which 

 moistens the interior of the great serous sacs. Inasmuch as divers 

 organs take from the fluid transuded by the blood different quantities 

 of organic, saline, and gaseous constituents, according to their wants, 

 and produce different kinds and different quantities of effete products, 

 it follows that the lymph must be a liquid which varies materially 

 in composition, according to the region from which it is derived, and 

 according to the greater or less functional activity of the organs 

 contributing to it. 



