.NUTRITION. 



pietely from the rest. Up next divided with great care 

 all the chyliferous and lymphatic vessels, the veins and 

 arteries leading to it with the exception of one artery 

 and one vein,, and then divided above and below the 

 ligature, so that if remained connected to the body only 

 by one artery and one vein. He then injected into it a 

 decoction of a certain poisonous substance, and in six 

 minutes, it manifested its poisonous effects on the con- 

 stitution. A pupil of his afterward varied the experiment 

 by leaving the portion of intestine connected to the body 

 only by the chyliferous vessels, instead of an artery and 

 vein. A similar injection being thrown into it, the pois- 

 oning did not take place, even at the end of half an 

 hour ; but when one of the veins was freed which had 

 been tied but not divided, the poisoning, took place im- 

 mediately. These experiments have since been verified 

 by other physiologists, particularly Messrs. Lawrence 

 and Coates of Philadelphia. 



Emily. Most ingenious and satisfactory experiments 

 surely conclusive, I should suppose in favor of the 

 doctrine of venous absorption. But what then are we 

 to do with the lymphatics ? We must find some use 

 for them.. 



Dr. B. If we deny the power of absorption to the 

 lymphatics, their functions become a matter of great ob- 

 scurity. It has been suggested and this is the most 

 probable suggestion that, has yet been offered that the 

 lymph is a highly animaiized fluid destined for important 

 purposes ; farther than this we know very little. 



The functions of which we have now treated, ara to- 

 be considered as only preparatory processes for the last 

 and most important of all, nutrition the seat of which 

 is in every part of the body. The particles of our food 

 after having undergone those diversified operations which 

 you have heard related, at last become incorporated 

 with the materials, and form constituent -parts of the 

 body itself, After a time they lose those properties 

 ;vhj.ch fitted them for this purpose, they are taken awav, 

 11* 



