From what has been said, it is evident that the organic properties perform the principal part in the peculiar life of the absorbent system. These properties are much more conspicuous there than in the venous system; at least they are much more capable of being raised. In fact there are ten inflammations of the absorbents for one of the veins. This disposition to inflame from the least virus that passes through their tubes, from pains, though not severe, that are felt at their extremity, particularly characterizes these vessels. It is rare that there is found in the course of a vein, those swellings, pains and inflammations so frequent in the course of the absorbents. This difference proves a diversity of structure in the peculiar membrane, notwithstanding its continuity with that of the veins. In fact at the period when experiments were made upon the transfusion of medicines into them, authors have not related any case of venous inflammation from the contact of foreign substances upon the membrane of the veins; whilst practice frequently presents us this fact in the absorbents. The lymphatic glands especially have a great tendency to inflammatory swellings, when deleterious substances that are absorbed come in contact with them. In the first periods these substances confine their effects to the first glands they meet; thus the absorption of the venereal virus hardly extends beyond the glands of the groin; thus the axillaries alone swell when a puncture is made with an infected instrument, &c.; the glands that follow, remain untouched. Though much disposed to inflame, the lymphatic glands exhibit however more slowness in this affection, than many other animal textures, the cellular and cutaneous, for example. We know that phlegmon and erysipelas go through their periods quicker, than the inflammations of the inguinal, axillary glands, &c. The pain of which these inflamed glands are the seat differs also much from that of these two affections; it is more dull, obscure, &c. The pus is more slow in forming; it resembles considerably cellular pus; it differs much from that of erysipelas. There are few textures in the economy that are more disposed than this to hardening after inflammation. For one single time that the skin become scirrhous after erysipelas, the lymphatic glands become so twenty. This is truly one of their distinctive characters. The absorbents often exhibit to a certain degree, like their glands, a character of slowness in the phenomena over which their organic properties preside. For example, when concerned in a wound, they contract, crisp up and close more slowly than the sanguineous capillaries, that are then also concerned; hence the flow of serum that continues for some minutes after that of blood has ceased. This phenomenon is constant in small wounds. If the absorbents and the capillaries had the same degree of insensible contractility, it certainly would not take place.