TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 
93 
The following is the order of the subjects discussed: 
Lacteals.—! Their distention after a full meal,—their condition as 
observed in living animals ;—effects of ligatures on the thoracic 
ducts of horses. 
Lymphatics ,—Anatomical origin of,—analogy of lymphatics and lac- 
teals,—exact resemblance of the lymph prior to its absorption to 
that found in the lymphatic vessels,—absence of lymphatics in 
vegetables,—no proof afforded by examination of lymph that 
lymphatics serve as the channel through which foreign matters 
gain entrance into the system,—no communication between lym¬ 
phatics and veins except through the great lymphatic trunks. 
Veins. —Analogy between the anatomy and disposition of the veins 
of animals and the vessels corresponding to these in plants, favours 
the doctrine of venous absorption . 
“ When foreign matters capable of affecting the constitution ge¬ 
nerally, and of being diluted in its solids and fluids, are brought 
into contact with the serous and mucous surfaces of the body, 
with the cutis vera , and with the interstitial cellular tissue of dif¬ 
ferent organs, the resulting phenomena exhibited by the blood 
in the veins give evidence that these vessels are the sole agents 
employed in this variety of absorption.” These four points are 
discussed by reference to a variety of experiments, to which the 
author adds the following from his own researches, as bearing on 
the question of 
hdar tissue. 
Exp. 1. Having made a fistulous opening in the abdominal parietes 
of a dog , he took advantage of the period when a complete granu¬ 
lating surface should be formed, to apply to it very freely the solu¬ 
tion of pruss. potass. On killing the animal three minutes after the 
application, and applying the appropriate chemical test to the blood, 
it was seen to exhibit traces of the prussiate. 
Exp. 2. He induced the formation of a granulating surface four 
inches square in extent in the fleshy substance of the back of a 
large cat , and then retained pledgets of lint moistened with 1J of the 
usual solution of the prussiate of potash in contact with this surface 
during the space of four hours. A fair indication of the presence 
of the poison in the blood w'as seen, on submitting to the usual test 
the blood from the carotid arteries, both in its fluid and coagulated 
states, while no indication whatever of its presence was observed in 
the lymph. 
These experiments now put forth as evidence in favour of the 
doctrine of absorption by the veins of foreign matters, from the in¬ 
terstitial cellular tissue of the animal body, when taken along with 
the previous experiments also adduced to prove the absorption of 
foreign matters from the surface of the cutis vera and the different 
mucous and serous superficies, would appear to justify a conclusion — 
that the absorption of foreign matters occurring from the interstices 
and surfaces of the body occurs solely through the channel of the 
venous system. 
absorption of foreign matters by veins of the cel- 
