OF THE ABSORBENT VESSELS. 271 



arteries only, and are destined to convey lymph from them.* 

 Mr. Hunter, after pouring water coloured by indigo into the 

 peritoneum of an animal, saw the lymphatics filled with a blue 

 fluid. In the hands of M. M. Majendie, Flandrin, and Dupuytren, 

 this experiment likewise has failed. He does, however, allow 

 that, in a woman who died with a collection of pus in the thigh, 

 the surrounding lymphatics were distended with pus to the size 

 of a crow's quill ; — a pretty decisive fact. The absorbents of fish 

 have no valves except at their termination in the red veins, and 

 may therefore be injected from the principal trunks : the injec- 

 tion passes out of the mouths of the absorbents in numerous 

 streams, and especially on the back, if the skate is employed j — 

 another decisive fact. 



The ancient doctrine of veins being the organs of absorp- 

 tion forms a leading feature in his physiology, f Mr. Hunter 

 deposited various fluids in the intestines, but, although he found 

 manifest traces -of them in the absorbents, he could discover 

 none in the mesenteric veins. M. Majendie relates two expe- 

 riments in which a decoction of nux vomica, introduced into 

 the alimentary canal, produced its usual effects, though the 

 thoracic duct was tied and ascertained to be single. But, as the 

 poison may operate through the nervous system, these experiments 

 prove nothing. Even the same objection applies to a similar 

 experiment in which, instead of the thoracic duct being tied, the 

 portion of intestine containing the solution was totally sepa- 

 rated from the body, except in one artery and one vein. Indeed 

 the poison might be conveyed by absorbents in the coats of the 

 vessels. Another experiment appears at first sight unobjec- 

 tionable, because not only was every part of a limb separated 

 from the body except the large artery and vein, but even these 

 were cut asunder, quills having been previously introduced into 

 them and fixed to carry on the circulation, and yet some upas 

 plunged into the paw of the animal exerted its peculiar influence, 

 which besides was suspended and permitted at pleasure by com-. 



* I.e. p. 185 sq. f I.e. p. 238. 



