An inquiry into the use of the omentum / by James Rush of Philadelphia.

  • James Rush
Date:
1809
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An inquiry into the use of the omentum / by James Rush of Philadelphia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    latter, disease in those parts must prevent the formation of the peculiar hepatic blood. Let it not be said, that disease or obstruction of these preparing viscera is often attended or followed by fatal consequences to the system. To this it may be answered, that these parts are vital in other respects than their relation to the cir- culation of the blood. Moreover, if the bile require this oily secretion, why is the fat thrown out into cells? It ought to pass directly on to the liver through the veins; as this is not its course, it can get there only through the medium of the absorbents. To suppose it first secreted, effused into cavities, and afterwards taken up by lymphatics, is to admit a prolix, where nature has a more simple process. This opinion is grounded upon the fact, of fat being found in the omental branches of the vena portarum; and from this has been explained the oily nature of the bile. The inference from this fact is, that the liver is not a secretory organ, but a filter. It is impos- sible however that acini so minute as to prevent the passage of blood, should give admission to so viscid a substance as fat, of such a size as to be the object of examination by the eye. The bile does not derive its oily nature from the fat; we have seen that it cannot pass by filtration, it must undergo the secretory ac- tion. Now the very essence of secretion is an altera- tion of chemical properties, which if the fat suffer, it cannot form the oil of the bile, for, take the most minute portion of its principles away, and you destroy its nature as fat.
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