433 
A SERIES OF ESSAYS ON THE BLOOD, BLOOD¬ 
VESSELS, AND ABSORBENTS. 
By Mr. R. Vines, F.S., Royal Veterinary College. 
No. 2. 
On the Functions of the first and second Class of Lacteal 
Absorbents. 
In my former communication I endeavoured to shew, by a 
statement of facts, that in cases where the function of digestion 
became nearly or quite suspended from severe pain arising from 
injuries, and in which there was a very rapid absorption of the 
whole body going on, the lacteals of the first class sometimes 
ceased to absorb chyle, and consequently became much dimi¬ 
nished in size, and contained only a transparent fluid ; while, on 
the contrary, all the lacteal vessels of the second class, and which 
arise from the first, and also the minute or extreme branches of 
the arteries of the lymphatic glands, became considerably enlarged 
in their size , and were enabled to receive a considerable portion of 
red blood from the arterial system, and thereby assumed the cha¬ 
racter and functions of real veins. I stated that this important dis¬ 
covery had undergone, at the time it was first made, the inspec¬ 
tion of Sir A. Cooper, Sir C. Bell, Mr. Brodie, and Dr. Barry. 
For several years after the discovery of this curious phenome¬ 
non, as opportunities offered, I diligently attended the different 
slaughter-houses, and soon found that the fact, as regards the 
second class of lacteals assuming the same character as the real 
veins , not only occurred in horses suffering from pain, but like¬ 
wise under a variety of other circumstances; such as when they 
were brought in to be destroyed in moderate condition, and in 
consequence of there being a great number of dead ones already 
on hand they were obliged to remain for some time before they 
were destroyed, and during that period were only allowed a very 
limited portion of food, and thus fell away rapidly in flesh. 
When they were destroyed I had a fair opportunity of examin¬ 
ing a variety of specimens, wherein the second class of lacteals 
had assumed the same character as the red veins; and I noticed 
that this occurred much more frequently in very wet and cold 
weather than otherwise; and was most distinctly seen in those 
horses which, a short time before they were destroyed, had been 
in a moderate state of condition. 1 likewise observed that this 
singular appearance of the lacteal vessels varied very much, ac¬ 
cording to the quantity of fat found in the mesentery. In those 
VOL. V. 3 N 
