Cynthia asked:

>Just as a matter of curiosity, what purpose does the appendix serve?

In 'NeanderThin' (p. 31), Ray says that the appendix is a lymph node. I was
quite taken aback by this statement when I first read it, as I have never
seen such an assertion anywhere else. [I had a bit of trouble finding it
again - will the new edition have an index, Ray? :)]

I ignored the statement at the time, but now that there is some discussion
of the purpose of the appendix, I thought I'd query it. Does anyone have
any more information on this?

I always thought that the appendix was just a dead-end branch of the colon,
and that sometimes stuff can get trapped in it and result in an infection.
If it is actually a lymph node, then presumably it performs a function
similar to the tonsils and is a valuable part of the immune system.

Regards,
Barbara