148 THE FLUIDS. 



Seen under the microscope, lymph consists of two portions: 1. 

 The fluid portion, or liquor lymphce; 2. Certain morphological ele- 

 ments. 



1. The liquor lymphce is similar in chemical composition to the 

 liquor sanguinis, as might be expected ; there being, however, more 

 water, with less albumen and fi brine. The saline and extractive 

 matters are, however, proportionably more abundant. It is, in fact, 

 a dilute liquor sanguinis. The albumen varies from 4.34 (Mar- 

 chand) to 60.02 (L 1 Heritier) in 1,000 parts, and the fibrine from .32 

 to .52. Fat constitutes .264, and water 924.36 to 969.26 parts. Of 

 the liquor sanguinis about 903 parts in 1,000 are water. Contrary 

 to what has been asserted, the albumen and fibrine of the lymph 

 appear to be identical with those of the blood. 



2. The histological elements of lymph are 1. Cytoid corpuscles 

 (lymph-corpuscles) ; 2. Fat-drops ; and 3. Nucleus-like formations. 



1. The cytoid corpuscles have already been described (p. 145). 

 They average about Z$\-Q of an inch (? -$-$-$ to 32 Vu) i n diameter in 

 this fluid (^ s , If assail). 



2. The fat-globules present nothing peculiar. (See p. 73.) 



3. The nucleus-like bodies are probably the still undeveloped 

 cytoid corpuscles. 



It should also be added that in the lymph obtained from the 

 lymphatics of the spleen, red corpuscles, identical with those of the 

 blood, are found. They have also been found in the lymph of 

 starving animals. The explanation of this fact has already been 

 given (p. 147), though it has also been suggested that they are ob- 

 tained from bloodvessels opened in the search for them. 



Origin. Lymph is derived mainly from the overplus of the 

 plasma exuded from the capillaries, into the parenchyma of organs 

 for their nutrition, or for the formation of secretions. It, more- 

 over, contains some of the immediate principles resulting from the 

 dis-assimilation of the tissues. 



It is impossible to calculate, with any approximation to accuracy, 

 the quantity of lymph in the human body. Bidder believes that 

 about 28.6 pounds pass from the thoracic duct into the subclavian 

 vein in twenty-four hours 6.6 pounds being true chyle, and 22 

 pounds being lymph. Few will object to the last estimate as not 

 being sufficiently high. 



Uses. Lymph, though derived from the blood, is to enter it a 

 second time. It is, therefore, to be regarded as blood in its primary 



