Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 003.djvu/168

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An Extract

Of a Letter, lately written by Monsieur Louys de Bills to D. Tobias Andreas Professor of Physic and Philosophy at Duysborgh on the Rhyn; touching the true use of the Lymphatick-Vessels, &c.

THe Vessels, commonly called Lymphatick, have two Coates, betwixt which there are innumerable very small and very fine vessels like Filaments, resembling the Mosse of Trees, without any Valves, containing a nutritious Juyce convey'd into all the parts of the Body by a motion thereof from the center to the circumference; but returning through the inner pipes (furnisht with Valves,) of the same Water-vessels; at which time they are no more to be call'd Water or Dew, but Ferment, the vessels deferring also the name of Ferment-vessels. This Ferment serves to keep the Blood, and to ferment the same, being convey'd into it by a motion contrary to the former, viz. from the circumference to the center; which I can prove by Ocular demonstration, having already shew'd it to Dr. Stalparts Van der Wiele and many others, in the jugular Glanduls taken out of a Dogg; wherein I shew'd them, that these Lymphatick vessels carry their dewy particles about the Glanduls between the two Tunicles, and that in the lowermost end of these Glanduls the Ferment-vessel takes its beginning, being inclosed in these Dewy Vessels, and so constituting the inner pipe together with the Valves, which are of another forme, than hath been known hitherro.

To your Quære, Whether the said Ferment-vessels discharge at last all their Ferment into the Ductus Thoracius, thence to be carry'd directly to the Heart, there to increase and to ferment the Blood, or whether they communicate their Ferment to other parts also? I answer, that most of the Juyce of the Milky vessels is discharged between the Tunicles of the Veines, Arteries, Lymphaticks, Membrans, and the vessels in the Mesentery, to be conveyed into all the parts of the Body, both Internal and External, For even in bearing Females the Fruit is not nourish'd by any Blood, but by the nutritious Juyce, conveyed

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