12 Florence B. Sabin. 



growth, and concludes that the vascular and lymphatic capillaries 

 grow by the addition of branched or star-shaped cells. 



Four years later, 1850, Remak (125) rediscovered the lymphatics 

 in the tadpole's tail by watching the living embryo, and, without 

 knowing of the preceding work, he hurriedly published an even more 

 graphic description of the form and growth of lymphatics than Koel- 

 liker's. Subsequently, after seeing Koelliker's work, he added a 

 note (p. 182-183) to emphasize the fact that if the growth be watched 

 in the living form star-shaped cells are never added — neither to the 

 blood capillaries, nor to the lymphatic capillaries, nor, he adds, to the 

 growing nerves. Many years later, 1886, Koelliker (71, p. 34), in 

 an article mainly on nerves, corrected his view of the growth of the. 

 lymphatics by the addition of connective cells in favor of the theory 

 of growth by sprouting. 



The years from 1863 to 1867 represent a great advance in our con- 

 ceptions of the lymphatic system. The historical article of His (44) 

 on the lymphatic system must form the basis of any work which deals 

 with the development of the problem. In 1865 Strieker (143) pub- 

 lished a paper in which he expresses a doubt in regard to Koelliker's 

 discovery of lymphatics in the tadpole's tail, on account of the fact that 

 undoubted blood capillaries had also the blind sprouts. He, however, 

 submitted the blood capillaries to an experimental study of great 

 interest. He stimulated them with the vapor of ammonia and gives 

 the following description of his results: 



Ich sah ein Gefassstiick, welches seinem Baue nach unzweifelhaft zu den 

 Kapillaren gezahlt werden musste, sich im Laufe von fiinfzehn Minuten 

 zweimal bis nahe zum Verschwinden des Lumens verengern und bis zum 

 Breitendurchmesser eines Blutkorperchens wieder erweitern. Ich sab. 

 varicose Gefasse sich so veranderen, dass der Bauch an Stelle des Halses zu 

 liegen kam, und umgekehrt. Mit den Formveranderungen ging gewohnlicb. 

 noch eine andere Veranderung Hand in Hand. So wurde beispielweise eine 

 eingeschniirte Kapillargefassstrecke so blass, wurden deren Conturen so 

 undeutlich, dass ich sie kaum mehr von der TJmgebung unterscheiden 

 konnte, wahrend nach bis zwanzig Minuten das Gefass wieder in seiner 

 urspriinglichen Deutlichkeit zu sehen war. 



Thus he discovered the contractility of endothelium. He found that 

 electricity was a still better stimulant for observing this contractility. 

 He discusses his results from the standpoint of determining the nature 

 of the capillary wall, especially in connection with the silver prepara- 

 tions of Aeby, Auerbach and Eberth (quoted from Strieker 143), 



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