Structure and Uses of the Spleen. 
47 
brane. Of the five ounces of water thrown into the stomach, 
two were brought up by vomiting, and one only remained ; 
two ounces had therefore escaped in the course of half an 
hour. As the stomach contained two ounces of solid food at 
the time the experiment was made, it is reasonable to suppose 
that there was also some liquid in it, and in this case the whole 
quantity that escaped must have exceeded two ounces. On 
examining the external covering of the stomach, and along 
the course of the vasa brevia, where the absorbents usually 
pass, none were discovered, so that these vessels were not at 
that time carrying any liquid. 
The spleen was turgid, unusually large, and its external 
surface very irregular ; when cut into, small cells were every 
where met with containing a watery fluid, and occupying a 
considerable portion of its substance. This appearance, which 
I had never seen before, made me enquire, if it had been taken 
notice of by others, and endeavour to ascertain the circum- 
stances under which it is produced. The following statement 
contains the information which I have received on this 
subject. 
Malpighi appears to be the first anatomist, who had any 
particular knowledge of the structure of the spleen. He de- 
scribes its capsule, and a network which pervades every part 
of the substance. He mentions a number of small glands, which 
are hollow, and surrounded by arterial zones, but he had never 
been able to trace any venal branches into them. He believed 
that there was a cellular structure in the spleen containing red 
blood, interposed between the arteries and veins ; this led 
him to adopt a theory that the network was muscular, and by 
