THE ABSORBENTS. 



61 



firm, oval or roundish bodies placed at certain points in the course of 

 the lymphatics and lacteals (see Fig. 100). They are composed, as 

 shown in Fig. 40, a, 3, of a number of imperfect cells or alveolar 



Fig. 39. 



Fig. 40. 



Fig. 39. (Brc-schet.) Network of the superficial lym- 

 phatics of the skin, injected with mercury. Moder- 

 ately enlarged. 



Fig 40. (Mascagni), a, plan of a lymphatic gland, 

 3, with its component cells filled with mercury, and 

 having three sets of afferent vessels, 1, 1, 1, leading 

 into it, and one set of Afferent vessels, 2, passing out 

 from it. The arrows indicate the course of the lymph 

 in these vessels. The varicose or jointed appearance 

 of the vessels is here shown, b. a single lymphatic 

 vessel somewhat enlarged, and cut through, to show 

 the little double valves in its interior, c, lymph cor- 

 puscles, one granular, and three treated with dilute acetic acid showing the envelope and the pale nu- 

 cleus ; also some finer granules and oil particles free. Magnified 400 diameters. 



spaces filled with lymph or chyle, into which certain lymphatic vessels, 

 called afferent vessels, a, 1, 1, enter, and from which other lymphatics 

 called efferent vessels, 2, pass out, the whole being held together by 

 intermediate areolar tissue, and inclosed in a proper areolar coat or 

 investing membrane, which is perforated by the larger bloodvessels 

 and absorbents. On a section, a lymphatic gland is seen to be made 

 up, first, of an outer cortical part, composed of rounded or polygonal 

 alveolar spaces or cells, from Jd to Jth of a line wide, and crossed by 

 numerous trabeculae, of fine retiform or reticular connective tissue ; and 

 secondly of a medullary part within, consisting of a fine plexus of lym- 

 phatic vessels. The afferent lymphatics enter the cortical substance 

 at several points, and pass into its alveolar spaces, from which other 

 finer lymphatics proceed, and form the plexus in the medullary or 

 central part. From this plexus, the efferent lymphatics arise, and 

 emerge from the gland frequently at a sort of fissure, sometimes named 

 the hilus. 



The fluid found in the lymphatic vessels is clear and colorless, but 

 occasionally has a pale yellow hue ; it is called lymph. It consists of 

 a fluid part, or liquor tymphce, which contains nuclei, minute granules, 

 and, but seldom, a few oily globules. In the cells or alveolar spaces 

 of the lymphatic glands, in the meshes between the trabeculse, and in 

 the efferent lymphatics beyond them, the lymph also contains a certain 

 number of white, roundish, granular cells, or lymph-corpuscles, c, 



