THE FACIAL VEIX. 



475 



VEINS OF TEE HEAD AND NECK. 



The blood returning from the head and neck flows on each side into 

 two principal veins, the external and internal jugular. The veins of the 

 head and neck have generally no valves. The external jugular vein is 

 provided with a valve at its entrance into the subclavian vein, and in 

 most cases with another about the middle of its course : and the 

 internal jugular is also furnished with valves near its junction with the 

 subclavian. These valves, however, are not sufficient to stop the regur- 

 gitation of the blood, or the passage of injections from below upwards. 



The veins on the exterior of the cranium and face converge and unite, 

 so as to form two trunks, the facial and the temporal veins. 



The facial vein lies obliquely along the side of the face, extending 

 from the inner margin of the orbit downwards and outwards to the ante- 

 rior border of the masseter muscle. Eesting on the same plane as the 

 facial artery, but farther back, and less tortuous, it has very nearly the 

 same relations to contiguous parts. It commences at the side of the 

 root of the nose by a vein formed by the junction of branches from the 

 forehead, eyebrow, and nose, and increases by receiving others during 

 its course. Below the jaw it inclines outwards and backwards, covered 

 by the cervical fascia and the platysma muscle : and soon unites with 

 a large branch of communication derived from the temporal vein, to 

 form the temjioro-jnaxillanj or common facial vein, a short vessel of con- 

 siderable size, which joins obliquely the trunk of the internal jugular. 



Fi?. 303. 



Fig. 303. — View of the Super- 

 FiciAL Veins op the Head 

 AND Neck. 



1, sterno-mastoid muscle ; a, 

 facial vein ; l, temporal vein ; 

 c, transverse facial ; d, posterior 

 auricular ; c, internal maxillaiy 

 vein ; /, external jugular vein ; 

 (I, posterior external jugular ; h, 

 anterior jugular ; i, ijosterior 

 scapular and suprascapular veins; 

 l\ internal jugular vein ; I, occi- 

 pital vein ; m, subclavian vein ; 

 above the inner side of the orbit 

 are shown the frontal and supra- 

 orbital veins, and their descend- 

 ing branches to anastomose with 

 the angular or terminal branch 

 of the facial vein. 



Tributaries.— (rt) Thefi-on- 

 tf) I vein commences on thereof 

 of the skiill by branches, which 

 descend obliquely inwards up- 

 on the forehead, maintaining 

 communications in their course 

 with the anterior branches 

 of the temporal vein. It 



descends vertically, parallel with the corresponding vessel of the opposite side, 

 with which it is connected by transverse 1)ranches, and ends in the angular vein. 

 In some instances the veins of the two sides unite and form a short trunk, which 

 again divides into two branches at the root of the nose. As it descends from the 



