348 OF THE CHYLE. 



the state of globules during digestion, and are probably the 

 results of the disintegration of the alimentary matter, by the 

 digestive process. The chyle has a spermatic odor, an alka- 

 line taste, and varies in many respects, according to the nature 

 of the aliment subjected to the action of the digestive organs. 

 According to Magendie, Tiedeman and Gmelin, the chyle from 

 aliments containing an abundance of fatty matter, is very white 

 and full of oily particles, which, when the fluid is drawn from 

 the vessels, float on its surface like a sort of cream : while that 

 formed from food possessing little or no fatty matter, is more 

 opaque, and exhibits but little or no creamy covering upon its 

 surface. 



The chyle evidently undergoes a change as it ascends in the 

 thoracic duct. It exhibits more and more of a rose tint in place 

 of its creamy color, and is more coagulable and more assimi- 

 lated in appearance to the blood, the nearer to the top of the 

 thoracic duct, that we extract it for examination during the 

 act of digestion. During that period the duct is filled chiefly 

 with the contents of the lacteal absorbents ; but little of the 

 general lymph of the body, being at that time transported to 

 the duct. When withdrawn from the duct, chyle coagulates 

 of itself, and the action of the air heightens greatly its rosy hue. 

 The coagulation takes place in this fluid, from the same causes 

 that it does in blood ; from the fibrine which exists in a state of 

 solution in the recent chyle, returning to the solid state, and 

 inclosing a part of the globules. 



The serum in which the coagulum floats, is a solution of 

 albumen, containing likewise some of the globules, and at the 

 same time, has floating upon its surface a layer of fatty particles. 

 In the lungs, where the chyle passes, mixed with the venous 

 blood, the final change is effected, so that the chyle can 

 no longer be distinguished from the sanguineous fluid. The 

 opaque color of the chyle in the lacteals, according to Tiede- 

 mann and Gmelin, is dependent not only upon the number of 

 the globules it contains, but in part, also, upon the minutely 

 divided particles of fat which are suspended in it. 



