20 THE LIVER, BY EWALD BERING. 



only opposed the existence of a membrane analogous to the wall of 

 the blood capillaries, such as was supposed to be present by the 

 above-named inquirers, but have not expressed any opinion against 

 a wall composed of the cell membranes, although in opposition to 

 MacGillavry and Chrzonszczewsky I have been as unsuccessful as 

 Eberth in isolating it. 



The most recent description given by Kolliker agrees in all essen- 

 tial points with my statements, and he has correctly added that, under 

 certain circumstances, the transverse sections of the intralobular 

 biliary passages can even be seen in the uninjected liver of the Rabbit, 

 and has expressed the hope that at some future time the passages of 

 the human subject may be similarly seen. 



THE BILIARY DUCTS. The principal divisions of the com- 

 mon biliary duct occur coincidently with and accompany 

 those of the portal vein and hepatic artery, and hence sections 

 of the biliary ducts are constantly met with in the vicinity of 

 transverse sections of the portal vein. From these principal 

 branches the finest ducts situated between the lobules take 

 their origin. There is still a secondary mode of division, 

 characterized, like that of the hepatic artery, by the anasto- 

 mosis of the branches. Even before the common duct and its 

 principal divisions enter the substance of the liver, superficial 

 branches are given off, which subdivide, and anastomose in the 

 connective tissue occupying the fissures of the liver. This 

 plexus is continuous with others that run in Glisson's sheath, 

 surrounding the larger branches of the portal vein and biliary 

 duct, and receive their rootlets from the latter. Branches 

 from all these plexuses penetrate, as Beale and Henle have 

 shown, into the parenchyma of the liver, and finally give oft" 

 the interlobular ducts. Moreover, at various points - of the 

 liver, biliary ducts are distributed upon its surface, which 

 branch in the adjoining connective tissue, and form anasto- 

 moses. The isolated biliary ducts of the left lateral ligament, 

 which extend even to the diaphragm, are derived from this 

 source. The biliary ducts, down to those of O25 of a millimeter 

 in diameter, are beset with small simple or compound glands, 

 which, according to Riess* and Kolliker, are imbedded in the 



* Reichert und Du Bois Raymond's Archiv, 1863, p. 473. 



