Jean Pecquet

Jean Pecquet(1622-1674): French scientist from Dieppe. He studied the expansion of air, wrote on psychology, and is also known for investigating the thoracic duct. Furthermore he studied the nature of vision.

Life
He studied medicine at Montpelier, where he made the important discovery of the course of the lacteal vessels, including the receptaculum chyli, or reservoir of Pecquet, as it is sometimes called, and the termination of the principal lacteal vessel, the thoracic duct, into the left subclavian vein. He wrote:
 * Experimenta Nova Anatomica (Paris, 1651; English translation, as New Anatomical Experiments, 1653)
 * De Circulatione Sanguinis et Chyli Motu (1653)
 * De Thoracicis Lacteis (1653)

Terms

 * Pecquet, cistern of, reservoir of  &mdash; The receptaculum chyli.