252 NERVOUS SYSTEM. 



quently send branches to the glosso-pharyngeals ; and fila- 

 ments joining others from the glosso-pharyngeals, the spinal 

 accessories, and the sympathetic, go to form the pharyngeal 

 plexus. 



From above downward, the branches of the pneumogas- 

 trics are the following : 



1. The auricular, distributed to the integument of the 

 upper portion of the external auditory meatus and to the 

 membrana tympani. 



2. The pharyngeal, containing motor filaments derived 

 from the spinal accessory, distributed to the muscles and 

 mucous membrane of the pharynx. 



3. The superior laryngeals, distributed to the mucous 

 membrane of the epiglottis, base of the tongue, aryteno- 

 epiglottidean folds, ventricles of the larynx and lining mem- 

 brane as far as the true vocal cords, and to the crico-thyroid 

 muscle. From these nerves and the main trunk of the 

 pneumogastrics, arise the so-called depressor-nerves of the 

 circulation. 



4. The inferior laryngeals, turning around the great ves- 

 sels at the top of the thorax, pass up the neck, sending 

 filaments to the upper part of the oesophagus, trachea, and 

 the inferior constrictors of the pharynx, their terminal 

 branches supplying all of the muscles of the larynx except 

 the crico-thyroids. 



5. The cervical and thoracic cardiac branches, going to 

 the cardiac plexus, to be distributed to the heart. 



6. The anterior and posterior pulmonary branches, dis- 

 tributed to the pulmonary tissue, following out the bronchial 

 tree to its minutest ramifications, and sending a few fila- 

 ments to the trachea and to the pericardium. 



7. The cesophageal branches, distributed to the lower 

 third of the oesophagus. 



8. The abdominal branches, the left distributed to the 

 stomach and the liver ; and the right, sending a few fila- 

 ments to the stomach, and distributed finally to the liver, 



