316 THE VITAL FUNCTIONS. 4 



tion of muscular fibres to the linear aggregation ^ 

 and coalescence of blood-globules ; the threads thus 

 constituted having at first the appearance of a 

 necklace of beads, but, subsequently losing the 

 traces of divisions, are gradually converted into 

 perfect cylinders. Schwann added the conjecture 

 that the globules thus observed undergo an inter- 

 mediate change by becoming cells, and that the 

 cylindric muscular fibril is the result of the coales- 

 cence of these cells. 



Chapter XIII. 



ABSORPTION. 



Absor'ption is another function, related to nutri- 

 tion, which deserves special notice. The principal 

 objects of this function are the removal of such 

 materials as have been already deposited, and have 

 become either useless or injurious, and their con- 

 veyance into the general mass of circulating fluids; 

 purposes which are accomplished by a peculiar set 

 of vessels, called the Lymphatics. These vessels 

 contain a fluid, which, being transparent and co- 

 lourless like water, has been denominated the lymph. 

 The lymphatics are perfectly similar in their struc- 

 ture, and probably also in their mode of action, to 

 the lacteals, which absorb the chyle from the intes- 

 tinal cavity : they are found in all the classes of 

 vertebrated animals, and pervade extensively every 

 part of the body. Exceedingly minute at their 

 origin, they unite together as they proceed, forming 

 larger and larger trunks, generally following the 



