294 



HITCH COCK'S ANATOMY 



517. Function of this Organ.— Produces and Destroys 

 the Red Blood Corpuscles— As already stated there is no 

 duct or outlet to this organ, or evidence of any secretion out- 



Pig. 285. 



Small Portion of the Spleen very highly magnified, showing two corpnseles and the 

 minute Blood-Vessels. 



ward. But the idea has occurred to physiologists, though 

 with no positive proof as yet, that a kind of secretion is pro- 

 duced by the spleen which is poured directly into the blood, 

 and consequently there is no necessity for any outlet. And 

 again experiments have been carried so far as to give plausi- 

 bility to the idea, that this organ is designed to produce 

 blood corpuscles, and at the same time use up those that are 



517. Of what use is the spleen? What is said of it as an organ for producing blood 

 corpuscles ? 



