Page:Strength from Eating.djvu/44

38, here called lacteals. The venous absorbents take up whatever is held in solution in the food taken into the stomach, and the principal portion of the digested farinaceous, saccharine, and albuminous elements of food. The lacteals absorb the emulsified fats, and some portion of the other elements. The products absorbed by the venous absorbents find their way into the general circulation through the hepatic vein, after passing through the liver, which is apparently a wise arrangement of nature, to provide for a sort of filtration before the more delicate tissues of the body are exposed to the action of whatever deleterious elements the food may happen to contain. It is claimed by physiologists that the liver has also an important function to perform in completing the work of digestion, especially that of starchy substances. The food mingled with venous blood is conveyed to the liver by the portal vein. Those products which are absorbed by the lacteals, reach the general circulation through the thoracic duct, a long, slender lymph vessel which empties "into the large vein from the arm on the left side."