244 



DIGESTION. 



kind of secreting cell, which, when its contents were fully ma- 

 tured, formed a communication with the cavity of the intes- 

 tine by the absorption or bursting of its own cell -wall, and of 

 the portion of mucous membrane over it, and thus discharged 

 its secretion into the intestinal canal. A small shallow cavity 

 or space was thought to remain, for a time, after this absorp- 

 tion or dehiscence, but shortly to disappear, together with all 

 trace of the previous gland. 



More recent acquaintance with the real structure of these 

 bodies seems, however, to prove that they are not mere tempo- 

 rary gland-cells which thus discharge their elaborated con- 

 tents into the intestine and then disappear, but that they are 

 rather to be regarded as structures analogous to lymphatic or 



FIG. 79. 



Transverse section of injected Peyer's glands (from Kolliker). The drawing was 

 taken from a preparation made by Frey : it represents the fine capillary looped net- 

 work spreading from the surrounding bloodvessels into the interior of three of 

 Peyer's capsules from the intestine of the rabbit. 



absorbent glands, and that their office is to take up certain 

 materials from the chyle, elaborate and subsequently discharge 

 them into the lacteals, with which vessels they appear to be 

 closely connected, although no direct communication has been 

 proved to exist between them. 



Moreover, it has been lately suggested that since the mo- 



