Unpublished paper, 'On the general and minute structure of the spleen in man and other animals' by William Julian Evans

Description

Evans details the results of his investigations on the structure of the spleen. According to his analysis, the following are the component parts of this organ: first, a reticulated fibro-elastic tissue; secondly, a pulpy parenchyma, containing the Malpighian glands and the splenic corpuscles; thirdly, distinct cellular bodies; fourthly, the usual apparatus of arteries veins, lymphatics and nerves; fifthly, certain fluids; and lastly, the membranes or tunics by which it is invested. He describes the cells of the spleen as being formed of a lining membrane, continued from that of the splenic vein, and strengthened by filaments of the fibro-elastic tissue. The splenic vein communicates with these cells, at first by round foramina, then by extensive slits resembling lacerations; and it ultimately loses itself entirely in the cells. The cells themselves communicate freely with one another, and also with the veins of the parenchyma; and may therefore be considered as in some measure continuations of the veins, This structure constitutes a multilocular reservoir of great extensibility, and possessing great elastic contractility ; properties, however, which exist in a much less degree in the human spleen than in that of herbivorous animals; in which animals the cellated structure itself is much more conspicuous, and predominates over the parenchymatous portion.

Annotations in pencil throughout. Marked on back as 'Archives 1 June 1843 S H C [Samuel Hunter Christie]'.

Subject: Anatomy / Physiology

Received 2 March 1843. Communicated by P M Roget.

Whilst the Royal Society declined to publish this paper in full, an abstract of the paper was published in volume 4 of Abstracts of the Papers Printed in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London [later Proceedings of the Royal Society] as 'On the general and minute structure of the spleen in man and other animals'.

Reference number

AP/26/4

Earliest possible date

February 1843

Physical description

Ink and graphite pencil on paper

Page extent

36 pages

Format

Manuscript