vin FROM THE ALIMENTARY CANAL TO THE HEART 101 



a large blood vessel that gathers up the blood from the 

 stomach, the spleen, and the intestines, and carries it to 

 the liver. 



Peptones and sugars are also changed during absorp- 

 tion. As the peptones pass through the cells of the 

 mucous membrane they are changed into a form of albu- 

 min that can be used to build up and repair the cells of 

 the body. Sugars are also changed by the same cells. 

 Water and salt are not changed. In the portal vein 

 leading to the liver we find albumins, sugars, water, 

 salt, and some fats. Before these foods reach the heart 

 they must pass through the liver, where other changes 

 occur. We must now study the liver. 



80. The Liver. The location, size, color, and some 

 of the uses of the liver we learned in the last chapter. 

 The liver is made up of five lobes, each consisting of 

 many lobules. Each lobule receives blood from a small 

 branch of the portal vein and from the hepatic artery. 

 The lobules consist of very small cells that do many 

 things besides manufacturing bile. 



If more proteid foods, as cheese, eggs, and meats, 

 are eaten than the body needs, they are changed into 

 sugars or fats in the liver cells. The albumins cannot 

 be stored up in the body, while the sugars and fats can. 

 All of the sugar that is not needed at once by the 

 cells of the body is stored up in the liver for future use. 

 Fats, water, and salt are not changed. The liver cells 

 have the power to select from the blood, as it passes 

 through them, certain germs and poisons that some- 

 times get into the body with the foods. They can also 



