GLANDS. 413 



performed in the soft livers of most fish ; as the plaice, sound, 

 &c. ; but it may be also effected in the livers of the various 

 mammalian animals. 



The author has repeatedly examined branches of the he- 

 patic duct thus prepared, and his own independent observa- 

 tions fully corroborate those of Dr. Hanfield Jones, to whom, 

 for his very carefully conducted inquiries on the intimate 

 structure of the liver, physiological anatomists are much in- 

 debted. 



The mucous membrane lining the larger hepatic duct is, 

 according to the observations of Mr. Kiernan, follicular. 



Secreting Cells. The secreting structrue of the liver, as 

 of all other truly glandular organs, is cellular, the majority of 

 the cells being perfect, and consequently nucleated, but some 

 few consisting of nuclei only, the most essential element of 

 the cell. Each cell may contain more than one nucleus. 



These cells are disposed in series, which radiate from the 

 centre of each lobule, occupied by the lobular hepatic vein : 

 the radii are not formed of single rows of cells placed 

 simply end to end, but the cells frequently partially overlap 

 each other. (Plate LIY./^. 6.) 



This linear disposition of the cells would appear to be de- 

 termined by the radiated arrangement of the vessels which 

 proceed on all sides from the central hepatic vein. 



Dr. Jones considers that this arrangement of the cells is 

 connected with the secretion of the bile, and that it facilitates 

 the transmission of this fluid from the centre to the circum- 

 ference of the lobules : when it has reached this it is discharged 

 into the interlobular fissures and spaces, to be absorbed into 

 the ducts by an endosmotic action determined by the denser 

 mucoid fluid contained within them. 



Dr. Hanfield Jones has also observed that frequently the 

 cells are not merely disposed in linear series, but that they 

 likewise coalesce with each other by their opposed margins, 

 whereby the cavities of several cells are made to communicate 

 with dach other. This union of the cells Dr. Jones considers 

 to be intended to facilitate still further the transmission of 



