On the comparative anatomy of the lymphatics of the mammalian urinary bladder / by George Hoggan and Frances Elizabeth Hoggan.

  • Hoggan, George.
Date:
[1881]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the comparative anatomy of the lymphatics of the mammalian urinary bladder / by George Hoggan and Frances Elizabeth Hoggan. 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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    ON, THE COMrARATIYE ANATOMY OF THE LYM- I’HATICS OF THE MAMMALIAN URINARY BLADDER. By George Hoggan, M.B. (Edin.), and Frances Elizabeth Hoggan, M.D. (Zurich), M.K.Q.C.P. (Ireland.) (Plate XXI.)V In the bodies of the higher animals, the urinary bladder pre- sents the unique example of an organ of the nature of a reservoir, whose special function seems to be that of retaining, for a considerable time within the body, a substance of a purely excretory nature, noxious and poisonous in its action, whether that be regarded in its local effects following extravasation into the tissues, and causing gangrene or death of these tissues, or in its general effects by non-elimination from or re-absorption into the system, leading to coma and death of the individual. That such an organ should stand in a special relation to the whole function of absorption, whether that be performed by the bloodvessels or the lymphatics, must he evident to every one, and we might expect that in it, absorption would he either non-existent, or at least at its minimum force. Naturally enough, the very name of absorbents, so unfortunately applied to the lymphatics, would equally lead one to infer that that system of vessels was either unrepresented there, or found only to an extremely limited extent. These two inferences regard- ing structure and function do indeed represent, as far as we can discover, almost aU the opinions which have been held, in the absence of exact facts connected with the bladder, ever since the discovery of the lymphatics, or the miscalled absor- bent vessels. Even at the present day it may justly he affirmed that nothing definite is known of the lymphatics of the bladder. If we consult our English anatomical text-books, we find the whole question dismissed in a few words. The editors of Quain’s Anatomy, 8th edition, tell us, page 512: “ The lympha- tics of the bladder, taking rise from the entire surface of that organ, enter the glands placed near the internal iliac artery.” Liief and vague though may be the information thus given, it