292 ABSORPTION AND SANGUIFICATION. 



to that of the ordinary glands, but of which the elementary parts are 

 scattered through the body instead of being collected into one compact 

 structure, and of which the product is received back into the blood, in- 

 stead of being discharged through an efferent duct, upon the surface, 

 or into an open cavity, of the body. And it is a remarkable confirma- 

 tion of this view, that Prof. Goodsir should have ascertained that the 

 last three of these organs are in continuity with each other, during the 

 early part of foetal life ; and that they are in reality portions of the 

 blastoderma or germinal membrane (CHAP. XI.), which retain their ori- 

 ginal simplicity of structure, whilst other parts undergo changes of form 

 and texture, and which continue to perform their original function, save 

 that the materials of their elaborating action are now supplied by the 

 blood instead of by the yolk. The probable uses of these bodies, as 

 diverticula to the circulation through other organs, render them liable 

 to occasional distension with blood ; and it seems determined that this 

 blood shall not lie useless, but shall be subservient to the action in ques- 

 tion ; the gland-cells that line the cavities of the organ withdrawing cer- 

 tain constituents of the blood, to restore them to the circulating current, 

 in a state of more complete preparation for the operations of Nutrition. 

 Their function is very probably vicarious; that is, the determination of 

 blood is greatest (through the state of the other organs), at one time to 

 one of these bodies, and at another time to another. Hence the effects 

 of the loss of any one of them are not serious ; as the others are enabled 

 in great degree to discharge its duty. 



4. Composition and properties of the Chyle and Lymph. 



515. The chief chemical difference between the Chyle and the Lymph, 

 consists in a much smaller proportion of solid matter in the latter, and 

 in the almost entire absence of fat, which is an important constituent of 

 the former. This is well shown in the following comparative analyses, 

 performed by Dr. G. 0. Rees, of the fluids obtained from the lacteal 

 and lymphatic vessels of a donkey, previously to their entrance into the 

 thoracic duct ; the animal having had a full meal seven hours before its 

 death. 



Chyle. Lymph. 



Water, 90-237 95-536 



Albuminous matter (coagulable by heat), - 3-516 1-200 



Fibrinous matter, (spontaneously coagulable), 0-370 0-120 



Animal extractive matter, soluble in water and alcohol, 0-332 0-240 



Animal extractive matter, soluble in water only, - 1-233 1-319 



Fatty matter, - - - 3-601 a trace 

 Salts ; Alkaline chloride, sulphate and carbonate, with 



traces of alkaline phosphate, oxide of iron, - - 0-711 0-585 



100-000 100-000 



The Lymph obtained from the neck of a horse has been recently 

 analyzed by Nasse, with nearly the same result. He found it to contain 

 95 per cent, of water ; and the 5 per cent, of solid matter was chiefly 

 composed of albumen and fibrine, with watery extractive, scarcely a 

 trace of fat being discoverable. The proportions of saline matter were 

 found to be remarkably coincident with those which exist in the serum 



