spirits were added by other organs, and that this blood was consumed by all the organs of the body. this theory required that the blood be consumed and produced many times over. even in the 17th century, his ideas were defended by some physicians. alexander monro, of the university of edinburgh medical school, was the first to describe the function of the lymphatic system in detail. "claude galien". lithograph by pierre roche vigneron. (paris: lith de gregoire et deneux, ca. 1865) gabriele falloppio portrait of eustachius olaus rudbeck in 1696. thomas bartholin etymology lymph originates in the classical latin word lympha "water", which is also the source of the english word limpid. the spelling with y and ph was influenced by folk etymology with greek νύμϕη (nýmphē) "nymph". the adjective used for the lymph-transporting system is lymphatic. the adjective used for the tissues where lymphocytes are formed is lymphoid. lymphatic comes from the latin word lymphaticus, meaning "connected to water."