142 ANTHROPOLOGY. 



solar and partly from the semilunar ganglions ; its large posterior filaments 

 accompany the vena porta, and its anterior the hepatic artery ; these nerves 

 accompany the vessels in the lesser omentum to the liver : some are very 

 large and distinct ; they enter the transverse fissure, and ramify along with 

 the vessels through the capsule of Glisson. While in the lesser omentum, 

 they send long filaments to form the right gastro-epiploic plexus, along the 

 great border of the stomach ; others, also, along the cystic artery to the gall 

 bladder. 



5. The splenic plexus proceeds in a similar manner around the splenic 

 artery ; it is not so large as the hepatic ; it sends many filaments to the 

 pancreas, to the great end of the stomach, and along the left epiploic artery 

 to its great curvature ; the remaining few filaments enter the spleen. 



6. The superior raeserderic plexics is a very broad and thick fasciculus 

 continued from the lower border of the solar ; it forms a complete sheath 

 for the superior mesenteric artery ; its branches are numerous, very long, 

 and distinct ; they accompany the arteries, but are straight, and do not 

 form the same number of arches as the vessels are remarkable for : near the 

 intestine many of them usually unite in an arch, from which fine filaments 

 enter the tissues of the intestine. This plexus supplies all the small intes- 

 tines, the coecum, ascending colon, and right portion of its transverse arch. 



7. The renal plexuses are formed by branches from each side of the solar, 

 joined by the lesser splanchnic nerves ; they surround the renal arteries, 

 and accompany them into the kidneys. In the male, each renal plexus 

 gives off a fasciculus to accompany the spermatic artery, around which it 

 forms the spertnatic j^lt'xus^ and descends to the testis : in its course along 

 the psoas muscle it gives off filaments to the ureter. In the female, corre- 

 sponding branches from the renal plexuses supply each ovary. 



8. The inferior mesenteric plexus is much smaller than the superior, from 

 the root of which it is principall}'- derived, being also joined by branches 

 from the lumbar ganglions of the sympathetic : it accompanies the inferior 

 mesenteric artery and its branches, and supplies the left portion of the arch, 

 the descending and the sigmoid flexure of the colon. 



9. The hcemorrhoidal plexus is formed by the filaments of the inferior 

 mesenteric, continued around the superior hgemorrhoidal arteries, joined by 

 small branches from the lower lumbar ganglions ; it supplies the superior 

 and middle portions of the rectum, and communicates with the hypogastric 

 plexus. 



From the sympathetic cords in the thorax a small branch is continued 

 obliquely downwards and forwards on each side, close to the spine, and 

 behind the crus of the diaphragm, to join the first lumbar or abdominal 

 ganglion. This branch is seldom absent; when it is, the inferior splanchnic 

 nerve, after joining the renal plexus, enters this ganglion, so that the conti- 

 nuity is always maintained between the thoracic and abdominal portions 

 of the sympathetic nerves. The lumbar ganglions and their connecting 

 thread are placed on the anterior aspect of the lumbar vertebrae, in a tendi- 

 nous groove, between the crus of the diaphragm and psoas magnus of either 

 side, nearer the median line above, but diverging below ; they are variable 

 848 



