THE REGENERATION OF THE LYMPHATICS

Abstract

That lymphatics exist in new growths and newly formed tissues has been shown by injection experiments. That they regenerate in normal tissues was mentioned by the late Professor Halsted¹in 1922 in his article concerning the replantation of limbs in animals. His statement was based on the experiments included in this article. Probably the earliest observation on the regeneration of the lymphatics was made by Krause²in 1863. By making colored injections in the skin adjacent to tumors he demonstrated the continuation of true lymphatics into the tumors. In his lectures on surgical pathology and therapeutics, Billroth³in 1863 demonstrated specimens in which the lymphatics did not grow across scar tissue, at least not in early stages. After a 7 day old wound in the lip of a dog had healed by first intention the lymphatic vessels were injected. He said, You see that the young cicatrix,