. The physiology of digestion : considered with relation to the principles of dietetics . ick in consistence to circulate longerthrough the smaller vessels. The excretions from the minute arterial branchesramified on the internal coat are mingled with a blandfluid from the mucous follicles, the evident use of whichis to protect from injury the sensitive surface of the in-testine. Occasionally, however, the mucous secretionbecomes so abundant and viscid, as to adhere with un-usual force, and to impede the formation and absorp-tion of the chyle, and even the action of the usual pur-gatives. Worm
. The physiology of digestion : considered with relation to the principles of dietetics . ick in consistence to circulate longerthrough the smaller vessels. The excretions from the minute arterial branchesramified on the internal coat are mingled with a blandfluid from the mucous follicles, the evident use of whichis to protect from injury the sensitive surface of the in-testine. Occasionally, however, the mucous secretionbecomes so abundant and viscid, as to adhere with un-usual force, and to impede the formation and absorp-tion of the chyle, and even the action of the usual pur-gatives. Worms are then common, and cannot be ex- 154 INTESTINE—MUCOUS COAT ITS ABSORBENTS. pelled except by remedies which tend to remove themucus in which they live imbedded. To fit the mucous coat for its office of absorption, animmense number of minute vessels, called absorbents,are ramified on its internal surface, the nature andpurposes of which are analogous to those mentioned inthe former volume when describing the functions of theskin.* In both structures the absorbents are small ca- TD. pillary or hair-sized vessels, so infinite in number thatat least one goes to every little point or papilla. Thosewhich open upon the inner surface of the smaller in-testines, and which suck in or absorb the chyle, arecalled lacteal absorbents, or simply the lactcals, or milk-vessels (marked L L in the subjoined wood-cut), fromthe white color of the chyle shining through them andgiving them the appearance of vessels full of milk. In * Principles of Physiology, &c chap. ii. INTESTINE MUCOUS COAT ITS ABSORBENTS. 155 that part of the gut they are so numerous that everyminute point of the villous coat may he seen hy the aidof a microscope to contain one with its mouth open toreceive the chyle as fast as it is formed. Even in thecolon the absorbents are numerous; hut, as all tracesof chyle have there disappeared, they are much fewerthan in the smaller intestines. In the colon they servechiefly to remo
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