FUNCTIONS 
63 
Warthin [35] and others to the effect that the hemal nodes — if such 
there be — of man are enlarged in disease, in which blood destruction is 
known to occur. Moreover, no one has regarded the cause of the blood 
destruction to lie in the enlargement of these nodes ; and it would seem 
more probable that hyperactivity in them at such a time should, as in the 
case of the bone marrow, be regarded as a constructive rather than as a 
primarily destructive reaction or process. Then, of course, there is the 
possibility that hemal nodes have the same function as the spleen — and 
supernumerary spleens — whatever that may be. 
Although certain aspects of the cellular content and a discussion of 
the development of hemal nodes have been reserved for a separate art- 
icle, I am prompted to call attention to certain difficulties confronting 
those who conclude that hemal nodes are only modified lymph nodes 
which may again become such and hence cease to exist. From a compar- 
ative anatomical standpoint it would seem strange that this accident in 
development is restricted not only to certain species, and predominates in 
certain regions of a given species, but occurs so much more frequently 
in some individuals — or at some ages — of a given species. Moreover, 
since the panicular and subcutaneous nodes in certain regions in bovines, 
are always hemal and never lymphatic nodes, and since the largest reg- 
ional lymph nodes are never converted into hemal nodes, the problem is 
complicated still further. Besides, up to the present it has not been shown 
that true hemal nodes in bovines and sheep become diseased when the 
lymph nodes do ; and no one has found a single carcass in which the place 
occupied so frequently by scores of hemal nodes was taken by a corres- 
ponding number of somewhat unusually placed lymph nodes. The latter 
is a particularly pertinent consideration in view of v Schumacher's con- 
clusions and statement that hemal nodes without lymphatics are usually 
small ; but that the larger hemal nodes usually possess lymphatics. More- 
over, since v Schumacher explicitly stated that there are only two kinds 
of lymph nodes — those with, and those without lymphatics — he evidently 
uses the terms hemolymph node (Blutlymphdrusen) and lymph node 
synonymously. From embryological evidence in my hands since half a 
decade, it is also clear that hemal nodes are not in connection with the 
lymphatics in their early development, and that lymph sinuses do not form 
in them at this time. Furthermore, from the numerous observations on 
the carcasses of sheep of all ages, of several scores of the new-born of 
many foetuses, it is evident that it is absolutely impossible to demonstrate 
the pre-natal or early post-natal presence of a comparable number of 
Anlagen of hemal nodes in the lumbar sub- vertebral region. This dif- 
