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CHAP. XVI. Of the Glandules in general, and of the Pancreas, or Sweet-bread.
A Glandule is a simple part of the body; sometimes of a spongy and soft substance,* 1.1 some∣times of a dense and hard. Of the soft Glandules are the Tonsillae (or Almonds, like in substance to blanched Almonds), the Thymus, Pancreas, Testicles, Prostatae. But the dense and hard are the Parotides, and other like. The Glandules differ amongst themselves in quantity and figure, for some are greater than othersome, and some are round, and others plain,* 1.2 as the Thy∣mus and Pancreas.
Others are compounded of veins, nerves, arteries, and their proper flesh,* 1.3 as the Almonds of the ears, the milky glandules in the breasts and the testicles. Others want nerves, at least which may be seen, as the Parotides, the axillary, or those under the arm-holes, and others. The number of glan∣dules is uncertain, by reason of the infinite multitude and variety of sporting nature.* 1.4 You shall find them always in those places, where the great divisions of vessels are made, as in the middle ventricle of the brain, in the upper part of the Chest, in the Mesentery, and other like places.
Although othersome be seated in such places, as nature thinks needful to generate and cast forth of them a profitable humor to the creature; as the Almonds at the root of the tongue, the kernels in the dugs, the spermatick vessels in the scrotum and at the sides of the womb; or where Nature hath decreed to make emunctories for the principal parts, as behind the ears, under the arm-holes, and in the groins. The connexion of glandules is not only with the vessels of the parts concurring to their composition, but also with those, whose division they keep and preserve.* 1.5 They are of a cold temper, wherefore Physitians say, the blood recrudescere (i), to become raw again in the dugs, when it takes upon it the form of milk. But of these some have action, as the Almonds,* 1.6 which pour out spattle useful for the whole mouth, the dugs milk, the Testicles seed; others, use only, as those which are made to preserve, under-prop and fill up the divisions of the vessels.* 1.7 Be∣sides this we have spoken of glandules in general, we must know, that the Pancreas, is a glandu∣lous and flesh-like body, as that which hath every-where the shape and resemblance of flesh. It is situate at the flat end of the Liver, under the Duodenum with which it hath great connexion,* 1.8 and under the Gate-vein, to serve as a Bulwark both to it and the divisions thereof, whilst it fils up the empty spaces between the vessels themselves, and so hinders, that they be not pluckt asun∣der, nor hurt by any violent motion, as a fall or the like.