RETENTION OF CHYLE. 



everywhere in a state of extremely minute division : in 

 the regular course of events the particles are so ex- 

 tremely mmute, that if the chyle is examined when fresh 

 I still warm, scarcely a trace of the solid particles 

 can be detected in it. But every disturbance which 

 occurs in the process of absorption, and impedes the 

 onward movement of the fatty particles, causes them to 

 run together ; larger granules separate in the tissues 

 drops appear which continually increase in volume until 

 at length they attain quite a large size. These are 

 found even in the epithelial cells or within the tissue of 

 the villi, and indeed it sometimes happens that the ends 

 the lacteals grow wider, and swell out into a bulbous 

 3rm from the great accumulations of fat, so as to be 

 recognized even by the naked eye. Nowhere have they 

 been so frequently witnessed in a striking form as in 

 cholera, and a good description of these appearances as 

 occurring in this disease was published as far back as. 

 37 by Bdhn. They indicate nothing more than an 

 struction to the current of lymph in consequence of 

 he disturbances in the respiration and circulation (Fig. 

 )9, D), Since attacks of cholera are well known to 

 Dccur with preponderating frequency during digestion 

 i are attended by greatly impeded respiration, which 

 makes itself felt throughout the whole venous system 

 they must of course also react upon the stream of chyle'' 

 the enormous accumulation (retention) of fat in 

 the villi * explained. This is therefore, if you will, a 

 pathological condition, but it only depends upon a tran- 

 sitory obstruction, and we have every reason to suppose 

 that, when the current again becomes free, these large 

 drops of fat are gradually removed. But here we set 

 t upon other domains, where the boundaries of patho- 

 logy can only be traced with great difficulty, and this is 

 particularly the case with the liver. 



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