364 ABSORPTION. 



The contents of the thoracic duct, including both the 

 lymph and chyle mixed, in an executed criminal, were 

 examined by Dr. Eees, who found them to consist of: 



"Water 90*48 



Albumen and fibrin 7*08 



Extractive matter 0-108 



Fatty 0-92 



Saline ,, ....... 0*44 



From all these analyses of lymph and chyle, it appears 

 that they contain essentially the same organic constituents 

 that are found in the blood, viz., albumen, fibrin, and fatty 

 matter, the same saline substances, and iron. Their com- 

 position differs from that of the blood in degree rather than 

 in kind ; they contain a less proportion of all the substances 

 dissolved in the water (see Nasse's analyses, just quoted), 

 and much less fibrin. The fibrin* of lymph, besides being 

 less in quantity, appears to be in a less elaborated state 

 than that of the blood, coagulating less rapidly and less 

 firmly. According to Yirchow, it never coagulates, under 

 ordinary circumstances, within the lymphatic vessels, either 

 during life or after death. These differences gradually 

 diminish, while the lymph and chyle, passing towards and 

 through the thoracic duct, gradually approach the place at 

 which they are to be mingled with the blood. For, in the 

 thoracic duct, besides the higher and more abundant 

 development of the fibrin, the lymph and chyle-corpuscles 

 are found more advanced towards their development into 

 red blood-corpuscles ; sometimes even that development is 

 completed, and the lymph has a pinkish tinge from the 

 number of red blood-corpuscles that it contains. 



The general result, therefore, of both the microscopic 

 and the chemical examinations of the lymph and chyle, 

 demonstrate that they are rudimental blood; their fluid 



* For observations on the nature of fibrin, see p. 73. 



