46 



those parts, which have been destroyed in exe* 

 cuting their respective functions, and they con- 

 duct from the intestines the matters prepared 

 there for the regeneration of blood, These ves- 

 sels, which are so very important, when we con* 

 sider their functions, are extremely small, and for 

 that reason very difficult to examine in an ana- 

 tomical, and still more in a chemical sense ; con- 

 sequently we have no certain knowledge of their 

 composition, nor of the mechanical process, 

 whereby the humours are conveyed through 

 them. Their own humour, the lymph, varying 

 in its modifications according to the place, from 

 which it has been extracted, is also but little 

 known. We have hitherto only a single ana- 

 lysis of it, which however, affords us considera- 

 ble information. It was instituted by EMMERT 

 and REUSS, and the result of it was, that the 

 lymph resembles serum in its appearance, and, 

 when observed with a compound microscope, is 

 perceived to be a complete chemical solution ; 

 but it thickens after some time, and becomes a 

 coagulum, which is altogether like the fibrin of 

 the blood. This humour consequently contains 

 dissolved fibrin, from which We further iiifeiy 

 that the serum, which penetrates the reproduc ing- 

 capillary vessels, must also contain it, and that. 



