TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREION JOURNALS. 
63 
PATHOLOGICAL PHYSIOLOGY. 
ON THE PASSAGE OF THE RED CORPUSCLES IN THE LYMPHATIC 
CIRCULATION. 
By Mr. Laulanie. 
It is shown by the researches of M. Colin, and it is easy to see, 
that the lymph flowing from a lymphatic fistula always preserves 
its purity, and contains no red corpuscles. Those which are 
found in the tlioracig duct are explained by the flowing of the 
blood itself into that canal, whose valvular apparatus at its inser¬ 
tion is more or less imperfect. 
It were interesting to isolate the phenomena from all the un¬ 
known circumstances which intervene in pathological cases, and 
to reduce it, by experiment, to a degree of simplicity which brings 
the conditions under our view. To that effect I have made, in a 
horse, a lymphatic fistula upon one of the satellite vessels of the 
carotid. On the same side the ligature of the jugular was made 
with or without the division of the cervical cord of the sympa¬ 
thetic nerve. This double operation is not accompanied witli 
oedema, but it may follow the single ligation of the jugular alone. 
However, in all the cases, whether the operation be followed by 
oedema or not, it necessarily carries with it the passage of the red 
corpuscles into the lymphatic circulation. This, however, does 
not take place immediately after the venous obliteration ; the 
lymph remains pure for about twelve hours, after which one 
may count a few corpuscles, two or three, on the field of the 
microscope. Two hours later this may he equal to those of the 
leucocytes—twenty-nine to thirty. By an irregular increase this 
increases to the fortieth hour, when it reaches a middle average, 
varying, however, more or less. 
To resume. 1st. The obliteration of venous blood vessels has 
for a necessary consequence the passage of red corpuscles in the 
corresponding lymphatics. 
2d. A time quite considerable (about twelve hours) passes be¬ 
tween the moment of the vascular obliteration and the appear¬ 
ance of the hematics in the lymph, during which artificial com¬ 
munications form themselves between the bloody and lymphatic 
vessels, unless, as it is said by Mr. Sappey, natural roads already 
