On the presence of permanent communications between the lymphatic and the venous system at the level of the renal veins in adult South American monkeys

Abstract

The writer has examined eighty-nine adult monkeys, including both Old World arid South American species, which have been added to the Princeton Collections during the past two years.In all of these specimens the lymphatic system was injected with colored gelatin solutions, and, in the ina,jority of cases, the injection was made into the inguinal, mesenteric, axillary, and cephalic lymph nodes.The following observation was made during the course of this investigat,ion : Whenever the mesenteric or inguinal lymphatic nodes of a LYew CVorld species were injected the injection mass nezer passed f r o m the lumbar or intestinal lymphatic trunks into the thoracic duct or inlo the anterior regions of the bocig, but passed directly into the postcam in the region of the renal oeins.A moro detailed examination of the vessels in this region of the body revealed the fact that the lyrnpkalics of the digestive organs and o j the posterior extremities invariably enter the venous system at the lcvel of the renal oeins.Twenty-five individuals, coinprising seven of the ta elve genera of South American monkeys, form the basis of the present investigation.These posterior communications between the lymphatic and the venous system mere found to vary from two to nine in number arid were fourid to open at almost any point on the rmal segment of the postcava and its immediate tributaries.&,ad bcforc the twenty-fifth Session of t h e Aiswcisiion of h i e r i c s n Anato-