ON THE INTESTINAL VILLI. 395 



flat at the other. Many of them were single, others were 

 united in bundles, adhering principally by their flat or free 

 extremities, as if a fine membrane passed over and connected 

 the edges of their extreme surfaces. Occasionally these 

 epithelia presented a distinct nucleus ; but generally, and 

 whether single or in bundles, they exhibited in their interior 

 a group or mass of oil-like globules, which, when viewed as 

 opaque objects, had a peculiar semi-opaque or opalescent 

 appearance.* Others of the epithelia, contained in the chyme, 

 were prismatic, single, or in columns. They were the lining 

 epithelia of the follicles of Lieberkuhn, and presented the 

 usual nuclei. 



The mucous membrane displayed the villi turgid, as if in 

 a state of erection, and as I had anticipated, naked or destitute 

 of epithelia, except at their bases, where a few still adhered. 

 Each villus was covered by a very fine smooth membrane, 

 which, from its free bulbous extremity, passed on to its sides, 

 and became continuous with the germinal membrane of the 

 follicles of Lieberkuhn. These villi, when removed from the 

 mucous membrane, and examined with a low power, were 

 semi-transparent, except at their free or bulbous extremities, 

 which appeared both by direct or transmitted light white and 

 opaque. Under higher powers the summit of the villus, 

 somewhat flattened, was observed to be crowded, immediately 

 under the membrane before mentioned, with a number of per- 

 fectly spherical vesicles. These vesicles varied in size from 

 1000 to less than 2000 of an inch. The matter in their 

 interior had an opalescent milky appearance. Towards the 

 body of the villus, on the edges of the vesicular mass, minute 

 granular or oily particles were situated in great numbers, and 

 gradually passed into the granular texture of the substance of 

 the villus. 



Is this appearance due to a partial absorption of chyle by these protec- 

 tive epithelia ? 



