The discovery of the nature of the spleen : from an investigation of the lateral homologies of the liver, stomach, and intestinal canal / by Henry R. Silvester.

  • Silvester, Henry R. (Henry Robert), 1829-1908.
Date:
1870
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The discovery of the nature of the spleen : from an investigation of the lateral homologies of the liver, stomach, and intestinal canal / by Henry R. Silvester. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    the circumstance that the splenic veins join the vena porta}, and the hypothesis thence deduced that the spleen pre- pares the blood for the secretion of the bile ; for, in this respect, it does not differ from all the chylopoietic viscera, nor even from the inferior extremities in the lower verte- brata and the generative organs and au'-bladder of fishes. We know that its importance in the economy is not great. Miiller's assertions appear to have obtained imiversal acceptance; though, on further inquiry, they will be found singularly unfortunate; and he concludes them by ad- mitting that we are still ignorant of the office of the si^leen. The inability to assign any function to this organ is, pro- bably, a reason for grouping it with other ductless glands. Again, it is quite a different thing for an organ to be formed symmetrically with another and to be formed merely for the sake of conforming to the law of sym- metry. In mammalia the large size of the splenic arteiy (frequently the larger branch of the cajliac axis) and vein, and the great pathological changes which are known to occur in the spleen, negative the idea of the spleen being formed merely for the sake of symmetry; moreover, that the spleen is an useless organ, or even one of little importance, is not established by the fact that important results do not follow upon its removal; for the removal of a kidney, a lymphatic gland, an ovary, a breast, an eye, an ear, etc., is not attended with serious consequences. MUller asserts that the liver itself is a symmetrical organ. Now, if this could be proved, nothing would be wanting to complete the idea of symmetry; but of this, more here- after. Again: the spleen, he attempts to show, is developed in the middle line; nevertheless, he groups it with the supra- renal capsules,—lateral organs,—and he brings to his aid for this purpose the dispositions of the peritona;um ; he could not have chosen a more fallacious guide. The peri- tonajum itself is evidently unsymraetrical; moreover, the situation of the spleen varies considerably in the verte- brate series, being sometimes attached to the liver or to the pancreas or bound to the transverse arch of the colon or placed behind the stomach, etc. Again : if the spleen be, as he asserts, developed in the middle line of the body,
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