170 
the frog ending in twig-like terminations. 
Kiernan inclines to the apts that they termi- 
nate in loops, although he says nothing which 
could lead us to suppose that he rejects the 
paaieg of their terminations being ccecal. 
authors agree that they end by closed 
extremities. It is this plexus which constitutes 
the true glandular portion of the liver. 
Miiller, in reference to the terminations of 
the ducts in anastomosing plexuses, states, that 
the history of the development of the organ is 
opposed to the belief in the existence of anas- 
tomoses. Certainly, if we are to creditsthe 
principle which he himself has established for 
the development of glands, viz. that “ however 
various the form of the elementary parts, all 
secreting glands without exception follow the 
same law of conformation,” the same process 
must take place in all; and analogy would lead 
us to infer that a plexiform anastomosis would 
be the arrangement of the terminal ducts in so 
complicated a gland as the liver of the adult, 
whatsoever it may happen to be in the unde- 
veloped organ of the embryo. That there is 
nothing irrational in this opinion we would 
turn for proof to another page of his Physiology, 
where he observes, “ in the scorpion, as I have 
discovered, the tubes (of the testis) anastomose, 
forming loops.” Again, he says, “ Lauth has 
but once seen a seminal canal ending with a 
free extremity in the human testis. Krause has 
seen such free ends of the tubuli seminiferi 
frequently, and confirms the ppinien of their 
terminating in that way as well as by anasto- 
mosis. Lauth attributes the circumstance of 
free extremities of the tubes being so seldom 
seen to their uniting with each other so as to 
form loops. He describes the division and 
reunion of the tubes to be so frequent that in a 
small portion which he spread out, and in 
which there were about forty-nine inches of 
tube, he found about fifteen anastomoses. It 
is, however, only towards their extremities that 
the seminal tubes anastomose thus freely. The 
discovery of the anastomoses of the seminal 
tubes is ectly original.” Krause observes 
the same fact also with regard to the uriniferous 
ducts. Now I would ask why, if the ducts 
of the seminal gland and uriniferous gland 
anastomose so freely, the ducts of the biliary 
gland should not do the same? And why, if 
the anastomoses of the seminal ducts be a dis- 
covery so original, the less easily demonstrable 
fact of the anastomoses of the biliary ducts, 
discovered ‘by Kiernan, may not be equally 
original? I speak from laborious research upon 
this subject, and surely there cannot be a com- 
parison between the difficulty of unravelling 
the simple ducts of the testis and the compli- 
cated and minute masses of the biliary ducts, 
an tion so intricate that Miiller acknow- 
ledges it “ difficult to decide the question.” 
The above facts of the anastomoses of the 
seminal and uriniferous ducts would, in my 
mind, were other evidence wanting, be a cir- 
cumstance powerfully aiding my belief in the 
anastomoses of the biliary ducts; but the sub- 
ject is not without its proofs, and these, as it 
appears to me, from careful examination, incon- 
NORMAL ANATOMY OF THE LIVER. 
testible. “ The left lateral li . 
Kiernan, “ may be considered as a rudin 
liver, in which this organ presents itself to 
examination in its simplest form. From t 
edge of the liver connected to the ligame 
numerous ducts emerge, which ramify eth 
the two layers of peritoneum of which 
ligament is composed.” “ These ducts, 
smallest of which are very tortuous in 
course, divide, subdivide, and anastomose 
each other. They are sometimes excee 
numerous, two or three of them in 
being of considerable size; some of the 
Ferrein” (by whom they were discos 
“ says, frequently extend to the diaphragt 
ramify on its inferior surface. ome 
extend only half way up the ligament, ¥ 
they divide into branches, which formin 5 ar 
(fig. 41,) return and descend towards the li 
ea - 
SS 
The left lateral ligament, in which ave 
jected biliary ducts with their anasto 
Kiernan,* 
anastomosing or being continuous 
ducts issuing from it. The spaces bi 
the larger or excreting ducts are oc 
by plexuses of minute or ing @ 
“ Branches of the portal and hepatic 
with arteries and absorbents, also ramify 
ligament, which, including between its | 
a plexus of secreting and excreting ducts 
bloodvessels ramifying on their pariete 
mirably displays the structure of the — 
The same appearances are seen in th 
which sometimes arch over the vena ca 
longitudinal fissure, when they are st 
thin. — 
The hepatic ducts are extremely va 
and ina Prell-injected liver are always 
pletely covered with the ramifications ‘ 
epatic artery. The ruge upon their in 
surface are formed by large vessels, “ a 
as well as veins,” which are distributed be 
the mucous membrane. This membr 
beneath the microscope, appears pla 
every part of its tori by innumerab) 
nated papille of a semilunar form. The 
distributed upon these papill 
artery which ascends upon each side 
lamina, and divides into a beautiful 
of capillaries which are collected after 
distribution into a small vein and return 
the portal vein. “It is,” says Kiernan 
the rupture of the delicate vessels forming 
consist 
* I have carefully examined this 
and pledge myself to its accuracy. 
