508 THE ABSORBENT VESSELS. 



sum and sole of the foot, the other from the outer. The inner vessels 

 follow a similar course to that of the internal saphenous vein : passing 

 partly in front and partly behind the inner ankle, they ascend along the 

 inner side of the knee and front of the thigh, and terminate in the 

 superficial inguinal glands. The outer vessels, ascending from the outer 

 side of the foot, pass in great part obliquely across the popliteal space 

 to join the inner set above the knee; in part they reach the inner 

 set by crossing in front of the tibia ; and a small number of them 

 accompanying the external saphenous vein, dip down between the 

 heads of the gastrocnemius muscle, and end in the popliteal glands. 

 From the middle line of the back of the thigh lymphatics pass round 

 on both sides to reach the inguinal glands. (Mascagni, "Vasorum 

 Lymph. Historia," 1787.) 



The deep-seated lympliatics of the lower limb are associated in 

 their whole course with the deep blood-vessels. In the leg they consist 

 of three divisions, namely, anterior tibial, posterior tibial and peroneal. 

 Neither these nor the superficial absorbents pass through any lymphatic 

 gland in the \Qg, unless it be those lymphatics which accompany tlie 

 anterior tibial artery, near which a small gland is sometimes found 

 on the front of the interosseous ligament, above the middle of the leg. 

 The several sets of deep lymphatics in the leg enter the lymphatic glands 

 situated in the popliteal space. The efferent vessels from those glands 

 are joined by other lymphatics in contact with the branches of the femoral 

 artery, and enter the deep inguinal glands. Other deep lympliatics, 

 derived from the muscles of the gluteal region, and many proceeding 

 from the adductor muscles of the thigh, enter the cavity of the pelvis 

 in company with the gluteal, sciatic, and obturator arteries, and pass 

 through a series of glands situated in the neighbourhood of the internal 

 and common iliac arteries. 



The superficial lympliatics of the lower half of the trunk con- 

 verge to the superficial inguinal glands, the direction of some of them 

 being indicated by the superficial circumflex iliac and epigastric, and 

 the external pudic arteries. Externally they converge to the groin from 

 the gluteal region and from the lower part of the back, those from the 

 back crossing otheis which pass upwards to the axillary glands. Ante- 

 riorly they descend from the greater part of the surface of the abdomen, 

 crossing and mingling above the umbilicus with vessels w'hich ascend 

 towards the axillary glands. 



The superficial lymphatics of the penis usually form three vessels, 

 two being placed at the sides and the other on the dorsum of the 

 organ. Commencing in the prepuce and beneath the mucous lining 

 of the urethra, they pass backwards, unite on the dorsum penis, and, 

 again subdividing, send branches on each side to the oblique inguinal 

 glands. The deep-scaled lympliatics of the penis pass under the pubic 

 arch, and end in the glands on the internal iliac artery. 



The lymphatics of the scrotum pass to the superficial inguinal 

 glands along the course of the external pudic arteries. 



The lymphatics of the external generative organs in the female 

 present a disposition similar to that existing in the male. 



LYMPHATICS OF THE ABDOMEN AND PELVIS. 

 The external iliac lymphatic glands, from six to ten or more in 



