1876.] On the Anatomy of the Alimentary Canal. 241 



appearances presented by the parenchymatous cells, the author concludes 

 that they originate external to the vesicles by exerting pressure on the 

 epithelial wall of the vesicles ; they then produce a flattening and 

 absorption of the same, and finally make their way through it into the 

 interior of the vesicle. 



The author in conclusion points to the morphological identity existing 

 between the contents of the lymphatics and those of the vesicles — the 

 contents, namely, of both appear during life to be a viscid substance 

 which, in sections of hardened specimens, present a like morphological 

 aspect, and stain in a similar manner with reagents. This identity, if 

 proven in other respects, will go far to show that one, possibly the 

 chief, function of the thyroid gland is the formation in the vesicles of a 

 material which is carried by the lymphatics into the general circulation. 



This paper is accompanied by nineteen drawings illustrative of the 

 lymphatics and parenchyma of the glands. 



IV. " Research on the Minute Anatomy of the Alimentary Canal." 

 By Herbert Watney, M.A., Demonstrator of Microscopical 

 Anatomy at St. George's Hospital. Communicated by Dr. 

 Klein, F.R.S., Assistant Professor in the Brown Institution. 

 Received December 16, 1875. 



(Abstract.) 



This research was commenced and carried on for the first fifteen 

 months under the direction of Dr. Klein ; during the last year it was 

 continued independently. 



Chapter I. describes the minute anatomy of the mucous membrane of 

 the small intestine and the method of fat-absorption. 



The author commences the Chapter by giving a history of the researches 

 of previous observers, and the methods he employed for hardening and 

 etaining the tissue. He then gives a description of the minute struc- 

 ture of the mucosa. 



The following are the results obtained. 



1. The [epithelium. — Lymph-corpuscles are constantly found among 

 the epithelial cells of the intestine. Further it is found that the epithe- 

 lium contains a reticulum continuous with the reticulum of the mucosa ; 

 this reticulum appears in horizontal sections of the epithelium as small 

 branched cells, which sometimes show a nucleus. In vertical sections 

 the reticulum is seen as a dark line at the base of the epithelium, and 

 from this dark line fine processes run among the epithelial cells. The 

 reticulum is stained very deeply by chloride of gold or by hematoxylin. 



In teased preparations, if the epithelial cells are isolated, shreds of the 

 reticulum are seen to be attached to the separate cells. 



The epithelial cells are described as being closed at their free extremi- 

 ties. 



