554 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1682-3. 



Experiments made for altering the Colour of the Chyle in the Lacteah. By 

 Martin Lister, Esq. N° 143, p. 6. 



The passage of the chyle through the intestines into the lacteal veins, is a 

 thing hitherto demonstrated to the eye by none. Dr. Lower ingeniously con- 

 fesses the ill success he had in trying with air, or with tinged spirit of wine; by 

 neither of which he was able to force a passage. And J. Walaeus (Epist. de 

 Motu Chyli) is very positive, that however the chyle in the intestines may be 

 diversely coloured, yet it is still white in the lacteal veins. And Diemerbrook 

 in his late Anatomy, published 1672, p. 37, affirms, Chylum semper album 

 inveniri in vasis lacteis mesentericis et thoracicis — viridem vero rubrum alterius 

 ve coloris, in iis a nemine hactenus visum fuisse. 



Notwithstanding which, and my own former unsuccessful trials, Phil. Trans. 

 N'' 95, I did not doubt but that some happy experiment would show the con- 

 trary; and a purposely coloured chyle might find admittance into the lacteal 

 veins, though not by force, yet by the consent and introduction of nature her- 

 self. The success of some late experiments I made to this purpose I shall here 

 acquaint you with. 



I caused a dog to be fed, and after about 4 hours I opened the abdomen, 

 and making a small incision in the jejunum, I injected an ounce or two of a 

 clear tincture of indigo dissolved in fair water and strained. This done, we 

 stitched up the gut and all again, and turned the dog upon his legs. After 1 

 hour and ^ we cut the stitches, and then beheld a copious distribution of 

 chyle and turgid lacteal veins, but as white as ever. And yet carefully search- 

 ing the guts, we perceived none of the injected liquor any where. 



Another dog, which was kept fasting 40 hours, had a very little flesh, with- 

 out water, given him, about 5 hours before the injection of the tincture of in- 

 digo; which was performed after the same manner as before, only it was now 

 well warmed, and about 12 oz. thrown up the duodenum, and down the ileum. 

 Here were empty guts, and not the least appearance of any lacteal veins in the 

 mesentery. After full 3 hours the stitches were cut again, and carefully exa- 

 mining the mesentery, we found many lacteal veins of an azure-colour, and 

 cutting some of the largest of them asunder, we plainly saw a thick blue chyle 

 to issue forth, and to spread itself over the transparent membranes of the me- 

 sentery. 



Whence, although it has been doubted of by some, yet it is most evident, 

 that the lacteal veins receive their contents from the cavity of the intestines. 



