593 



and at its ulnar end in the posterior or dorsal ulnar vein ; the dorsal 

 digital veins of the thumb open into the superficial radial vein, and 

 the innermost or ulnar digital vein of the little finger ends in the 

 posterior superficial ulnar vein." 



It will thus be obvious that the two descriptions differ not only 

 in the number of the Vv. metacarpeae dorsales, but also as to their 

 mode of termination. 



In our own observations we found the number to be three, and 

 the mode of termination, an arch. As this arch was present in some 

 form or another in every one of the 300 cases examined, we are clearly 

 of opinion that the B.N.A. term — 

 the only one provided — of rete 

 venosum dorsale manus is mislead- 

 ing, and should be replaced, or at 

 all events supplemented by the term 

 "arcus venosus dorsalis". 



The arcus venosus dor- 

 salis (see Fig. 1) was, as stated, 

 present in some form in every one 

 of the 300 cases examined, but was 

 not situated at the lower parts of 

 the ossa metacarpalia as stated by 

 Cunningham but opposite their 

 middles. It is convex distally and 

 receives the three Vv. metacarpeae 

 dorsales from the three medial inter- 

 metacarpal spaces. Its radial end 

 coincides with the commencement 

 of the V. cephalica, and its ulnar 

 end, with the commencement of the 



V. basilica. In our opinion therefore, the arrangement of the larger 

 superficial venous trunks on the dorsal surface of the hand so closely 

 resembles that of the dorsal surface of the foot, as to warrant the 

 same description sufficing for both, in other words, both regions are, 

 as regards the veins, homologous, a point which has not as yet been 

 sufficiently recognised. In 82 70 of our cases we found a large vein 

 passing from the centre of the concavity of the arcus venosus dorsalis 

 proximally to terminate in 65 7o ii^ the V. cephalica, and in the re- 

 maining 17% iß the V. basilica (see Fig. 1). 



The radial extremity of the arcus venosus dorsalis, or in 

 other words, the commencement of the V. cephalica receives the more 



V. cephalica 



V. cephalica ac- 

 cessoria 



V. basilica 

 V. ascendens 



Arcus venosus 

 dorsalis 



Vv. metacarpeae 

 dorsales 



The Arcus venosus dorsalis. 



Anat. Anz. XXXIII. Aufsätze. 



38 



