LYMPH 507 



B. LYMPH. 



Lymph is the fluid which plays the part of middleman 

 between the blood and the tissues. It fills all the spaces in 

 the tissues and bathes the individual cell elements. Those 

 who maintain that the lymphatics are shut off from tlie 

 tissue spaces prefer to call the fluid filling these spaces 

 tissue fluid. They consider that it is separated from 

 the lymph in the lymphatics by a layer of endothelium. 

 These spaces in the tissues open into vessels — the lymph 

 vessels — in which the lymph flows away and is conducted 

 through lymph glands and back to the blood through the 

 thoracic duct (see fig. 162, p. 383). 



1. Characters of Lympli. — Lymph varies in character 

 according to the situation from which it is taken and accord- 

 inof to the condition of the animal. 



(1) Lymph taken from the lymph spaces — e.g. the peri- 

 cardium, pleura, or peritoneum — is a clear straw-coloured 

 fluid. It has little or no tendency to coagulate. Microsco})ic 

 examination shows that it contains few or no cells — any cells 

 which may exist being lymphocytes. It has the same Cjj 

 as the blood plasma. The specific gravity varies according 

 to its source, being lowest when from the limbs and highest 

 when from the liver. 



Apparently the cause of the non-coagulation of such 

 lymph is the absence of cells from which thromboplastin 

 mav be set free. If blood or leucocytes be added to it, a 

 loose coasfulum forms. 



O 



(2) Lymph, taken from lymphatic vessels after it has 

 passed through lymphatic glands, is found to contain a 

 number of lymphocytes and to coagulate readily. 



Chemically, lymph resembles blood plasma, but the 

 proteins are generally in smaller amount, while the inorganic 

 salts are in the same proportion as in the blood. The 

 amount of proteins varies in lymph from different organs. 



Lymph of Proteins. 



Limbs .... About 2-3 per cent. 

 Intestines ... ,, 4-6 ,, 



Liver .... ,, 6-8 „ 



