Techniques for the collection of lymph from the liver, small intestine, or thoracic duct of the rat.

Abstract

T HE following techniques for collection of lymph in the rat have been very satisfactory for periods of two or three days for lymph from the liver and for periods up to ten days for lymph from the intestine or from the thoracic duct. These methods have been useful in the study of lymph from the standpoint of the substances exchanged from the plasma to the lymph and of the materials contributed to the lymph from the intestine in the course of digestion and absorption of various foods. Cannulation of the lymphatics of the liver is accomplished in rats weighing 150 to 300 grams. The rats are anesthetized with ether. Through a midline incision the liver is reflected upward to the right and the stomach and duodenum are reflected to the left; this exposes the hepatogastric and hepatoduoden?l ligaments. Evans blue dye, 0.1 ml. of a 0.5 per cent solution, is injected through a fine hypodermic needle into the liver. Within a minute blue lymph may be seen in the lymphatics passing through the hepatogastric ligament. After the wurker has acquired a little experience the clear lymphatica of the liver are easily recognized and the injection of dye is no longer necessary. With the use of dissecting glasses, a blunt d&&i this can be prevented by ligation of the small