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Section VI. 

 ABSORBENT SYSTEM. 



COMPRISING THE ABSORBENTS AND ABSORBENT GLANDS. 



THE absorbents constitute that system of vessels which are 

 employed in absorbing alimentary and other matters, and convey- 

 ing- them into the general circulation. 



Division. — These vessels were, when they were first discovered, 

 supposed to exist of different kinds in the body : hence the appel- 

 lations lacleals and lymphatics. It is now, however, ascertained 

 that they exhibit no difference whatever in their anatomy ; and 

 also that, although the lacteals are ordinarily employed in ab- 

 sorbing chyle from the intestinal canal, they are, equally with the 

 lymphatics, capable of taking up other matters. 



The only natural division they appear susceptible of, is, into 

 sitperjicial and deep-seated absorbents : the former are distributed 

 in great numbers immediately beneath the skin, and perforate it 

 through almost every point ; the latter are commonly found rami- 

 fying in company with the trunks of the bloodvessels, more 

 especially with the veins. 



Peculiarities. — The absorbents are so minute as to bear no 

 sort of comparison with the bloodvessels, in point of magnitude. 

 To make up for this, however, they are in general vastly more 

 numerous, and have much more frequent anastomosis. They 

 also exhibit peculiar tortuosities in their course, and are every- 

 where beset with valves. 



Glands. — The absorbent glands are small oval-shaped bodies, 

 varying in magnitude from a pea to a walnut, found in many un- 

 exposed parts of the body along the course of the absorbent ves- 

 sels. Generally speaking, they exhibit a reddish hue : but there 

 are some that assume a dark blue, and even a black complexion. 

 They exist mostly in groups or clusters — rarely solitary. 



Communication. — The superficial and deep-seated vessels com- 

 municate very frequently with each other, and never fail to send 

 off, in addition, other anastomotic branches to whatever solitary 

 absorbents there may be in the vicinity. The glands, likewise, 

 are linked together by absorbent tubes of inter-communication 

 running from one to the other. 



Demonstratio)i. — The following different methods of proceeding 

 with a view to demonstrate these minute and ordinarily hardly 

 visible vessels, are extracted from the laborious and accurate re- 

 searches of the late celebrated anatomist, Mr. Cruikshank: — 



