ON THE LYMPHATICS. 
(308 
lymphatics: accordingly, as before stated, I diligently visited 
the various slaughter-houses, and soon found that the fact, as 
regards the lymphatic vessels receiving red blood from the ex¬ 
treme branches of the arterial ones, was of much more frequent 
occurrence than I could have supposed ; and I observed it to 
take place more particularly in those parts of the lymphatic 
system which were the nearest to the centre of the circulation; 
and, in every instance, the thoracic duct w r as found to contain a 
fluid of a similar nature. 
What I have now stated occurred not only in those horses 
which were destroyed or died in consequence of chronic affections, 
but also in those that died from acute inflammatory diseases ; 
and likewise in others that were destroyed while the whole vascu¬ 
lar system was in a state of high excitement, and in which there 
was not any particular internal disease present. 
I also found, that the red fluid in the lymphatic vessels and 
the thoracic duct varied its red colour precisely in proportion to 
the previous strength of the animal. In some very weak and 
debilitated subjects, and in which the circulation was quick and 
weak, the lymphatic fluid was merely slightly tinged with red; 
while, on the other hand, in all those in whom the circulation w 7 as 
strong and vigorous, the lymphatic fluid bore a character similar 
to that of the dark red venous blood. I also found the appear¬ 
ances already described, not only in the lymphatic system of 
horses which died w'hile under a high degree of excitation, but 
likewise in many of those which were, sometime previous to 
death, exposed to ivet and cold , and allowed only a very limited 
portion of food ; and this existed both with and without the se¬ 
cond class of lacteals containing any red fluid, and when the 
circulation was diminished , as well as when it was increased. I 
shall not now attempt to give an explanation of the nature and 
cause of this singular appearance of the lymphatic fluid, but 
shall defer it until I state my opinion with regard to the real 
nature and properties of the blood , lymph , chyle, §c. I shall, 
therefore, at present, only add, that Magendie has seen a similar 
occurrence in the lymphatic fluid of dogs, when destroyed after 
long fasting. His statement is as follows: “ The lymph be¬ 
comes redder in dogs, according as abstinence is of longer con¬ 
tinuance. In some that had fasted eight days, I have seen it 
nearly of the colour of blood*.” 
* “ Magendie’s Physiology,” p. 325. 
