SECT. XXIX. 3. RETROGRADE ABSORBENTS. 357 



the nafal duel is obftructed, and the lacrymal fac 1 * 

 diftended with its fluid, on preflure with the finger 

 the mouths of this gland (pun&a lacrymalia) will 

 readily difgorge the fluid, they had previoufly 

 abforbed, back into the eye. 



7. As the capillary vefiels receive blood from the 

 arteries, and feparating the mucus, or perfpirable 

 matter from it, convey the remainder back by the 

 veins ; thefe capillary veflels are a let of glands, in 

 .every refpect fimilar to the fecretory veflels of the 

 liver, or other large congeries of glands. The be- 

 ginnings of thefe capillary veflels have frequent 

 anaftomofes into each other, in which circumstance 

 they are refembled by the lacteals ; and like the 

 mouths or beginnings of other glands, they are a 

 fet of abforbent veflels, which drii>k up the blood 

 which is brought to them by the arteries, as the 

 chyle is drunk up by the lacleals : for the circula- 

 tion of the blood through the capillaries is proved 

 to be independent of arterial impulfe ; fince in the 

 blulh of fhame, and in partial inflammations, their 

 aclion is increafed, without any increafe of the mo- 

 tion of the heart. 



8. Yet not only the mouths, or beginnings of 

 thefe anaftomofing capillaries are frequently feen by 

 microfcopes, to regurgitate fome particles of blood, 

 during the ftruggles of the animal; but retrograde 

 motion of the blood, in the veins of thofe animals, 

 from the very heart of the extremity of the limbs, 

 is obfervable, by intervals, during the dittrefles of 

 the dying creature. Haller, Elem. Phyfioi. t. i. 

 p. 216. Now, as the veins have perhaps all of 

 them a valve fomewhere between their extremities 

 and the heart, here is ocular demonflration of the 

 fluids in this difeafed condition of the animal, re- 

 pafling through venous valves : and it is hence 

 highly probable, from the ftricteft analogy, that if 

 the courfe of the fluids, in the lymphatic veflels, 



could 



