The peritoneum. Pt. 1, Histology and physiology / by Byron Robinson.
- Robinson, Byron (Fred Byron), 1857?-1910.
- Date:
- 1897
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The peritoneum. Pt. 1, Histology and physiology / by Byron Robinson. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![elegant preparations, which are still preserved in the Berlin University. Lieberkuehn is reported to have discovered the mouths of the lacteals which stand open. From this supposed discovery it was once as- sumed from analogy that the other branch of the thoracic duct, the lymphatics, arose from cavities and that they were absorbents. He was a rare mechanical genius. J0HA.XX Friedrich Meckel, the I or elder (1714-1774), was a noted anatomist of his age, a professor of anatomy, midwifery and botany, in Berlin, and grandfather of Meckel, the younger or II. Hewson (1739- 1774) called Meckel “one of the best anatomists of this age,” and that he traced the lymphatic vessels into most parts of the body. Meckel wrote a work in 1772 entitled “Nova Experimentaet Observationes de Finibres Venosum ac Vasorum Lymphaticorum in ductus Niseerague Excretoria Corporum Ejusque Structurae Utilitate,” embod3ung his views of the lym])hatics. John Hunter (1728-1793), he who could toil so terribly, announced that there were organic pores in the wall of the peritoneum and blood vessels. The proposition of Hunter disturbed the writers of that day very considerably. But Hunter was a formidable opponent because ho had experimented on over 3,000 animals. About one hundred years after Hunter announced that the peritoneum and blood vessels contained organized pores. Von Eecklinghausen claimed he could see them with the microscope and still 30 years later Kolossow and Muscatello (1894) deny their existence, allowing history to repeat itself. The greatness of Hunter is seen in his vast conceptions of the designs of nature and his accurate observations of natural processes. It is not certain how much William Hunter (1718-1783) contrib- uted to this idea of organic pores, for he wrote an essay, “Remarks on the Cellular Membrane and Some of Its Diseases.” A century ago some writers spoke of the peritoneum as a cellular membrane. Alex.\nder Monro (Primus) (1697-1767). Alexander Monro (Secundus) (1733-1817), father and son, did ex- cellent work on the peritoneum, and the labor of the son is especially worthy of remembrance. One of the landmarks in the history of En- glish medicine is the bitter and persistent quarrel between Hewson and Monro in regard to the discovery of the lymphatics of the peritoneum. Both doubtless made independent and valuable discoveries in the peri- toneum, l)ut history favors the most originality to Hewson. Abraham Vater (1684-17.51), a German anatomist, was professor at V ittenburg. He discovered the corpuscle which bears his name. He also has a dilated portion of the gall ducts named after him, Vater’s diverticle. William Hewson (1739-1774). Among the most philosophical in-](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28123566_0023.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
