70 



dition, the products of disintegration in all the tissues. Like 

 the veins and arteries, they are exceedingly minute at their 

 peripheral extremities, but gradually become less in number, 

 and greater in size until they finally reach the receptaculum ehyti, 

 the contents of which being conveyed into the veins, it passes 

 through various depurating organs, by which the effete particles 

 are cast out of the system, and the useful retained and utilized 

 in the regeneration of the various tissues of which the body is 

 built up. 



SCAVENGERS OR SANATORY AGENTS. 



The absorbents have been described as the scavengers of the 

 animal system. When the scavengers of a large and crowded 

 city, fail to perform their duties, and the highways and bye- 

 ways become choked up with refuse matter from the houses, 

 and the air loaded with putrescent effluvia, we know that the 

 general health must suffer, and it may be that the conditions 

 are present for the specific generation of the germs of a disease 

 which may depopulate the city. It is equally certain that 

 when the lymphatics are interfered with and they are hindered 

 in the performance of their duties, by any cause whatever, 

 whether it be mere mechanical obstruction, arising from pres- 

 sure occasioned by an inelastic and unyielding condition of 

 the horny structures ; or by the positive invasion of disease 

 peculiar to its structures, the wojn-out particles of the system 

 cannot be conveyed away, and they remain to impair and im- 

 pede the nutritive materials and functions. 



Owing to the want of tonic force in the walls of the absorb- 

 ents of the extremities, we get those accumulations -of fluids 

 that cause the dropsical appearance so well known. 



There are other morbid conditions of the lymphatics, such as 

 inflammation of these vessels, etc., which must be reserved for a 

 fuller notice when the diseases having any immediate connec- 

 tion with the foot are under consideration. 



