434 
ON THE LACTEAL ABSORBENTS. 
that were in moderate condition, and where there was a large 
portion of adipose substance, and in which the absorption ap¬ 
peared to have been going on in a very rapid manner, the second 
class of lacteals appeared of a similar character to those which I 
have already treated of, and were seen as large red veins arising 
from the lymphatic glands, and not only ramifying around , but , 
for a considerable distance down the mesentery , then turning sud¬ 
denly upon themselves , and proceeding in a straight direction to¬ 
ward the spine , to terminate ultimately in the receptaculum chyli 
and thoracic duct. 
In others, when destroyed under similar circumstances to the 
former, but in a much lower and weaker state of condition, with 
only a very limited portion of fat in the mesentery, the second 
class of lacteals, &c. presented a similar appearance to what has 
been stated, with the exception of the lacteal vessels and lym¬ 
phatic glands not being, by a considerable degree, so large in 
size, nor the fluid contained within them of so red a colour. 
From what has already been stated, it is evident that the lac¬ 
teals, as they are termed, are also a part of the true venous sys¬ 
tem ; and that they perform, when requisite, other important 
offices in the animal economy besides that of absorbing chyle 
from the surface of the intestinal canal. In short, it has been 
proved, by minute injections, that they also arise from the trans¬ 
parent or most minute branches of the mesenteric arteries which 
ramble in the peritoneal covering of the intestines, and, no 
doubt, from its surface also; and, if such be the case, they not 
only perform the office of absorbing a part of the peritoneal secre¬ 
tion, but also that of returning the white transparent or colourless 
blood from the seriferous arteries of all those parts to which they 
belong; and which is proved by the first class of lacteal vessels 
being found to contain a transparent fluid when the function of 
digestion is suspended, and there is no chyle for them to take up. 
It, therefore, appears, that the lacteal absorbents are capable 
of performing four distinct functions ; first, the absorption of 
chyle, or new white blood from the surface of the intestines; se¬ 
condly, that of returning the white or colourless blood from the 
seriferous arteries of the intestines; thirdly, that of absorbing a por¬ 
tion of the peritoneal secretion; and fourthly, as in very extraor¬ 
dinary cases of rapid absorption, in which the function of diges¬ 
tion is nearly or quite suspended, that of becoming considerably 
enlarged in size, by which they are enabled to receive a large 
portion of red blood from the arterial system, and thus proving 
them to be of a similar nature to the real veins; and not only 
this, but also proving, to a demonstration, that if, in cases of very 
rapid absorption of the mesentery, or of a part or the whole of 
