LACTEALS. 395 



and left extremities of the organ, and of the coronary ligament in the 

 middle. Some of these pierce the diaphragm and join the posterior 

 mediastinal glands ; others converge to the lymphatic glands situated 

 around the inferior cava. Those which pass from behind forwards 

 consist of two groups : one ascends between the folds of the broad 

 ligament, and perforates the diaphragm, to terminate in the anterior 

 mediastinal glands; the other curves around the anterior margin of 

 the liver to its concave surface, and from thence to the glands in the 

 right border of the lesser omentum. The lymphatic vessels of the 

 concave surface are variously distributed, according to their position ; 

 those from the right lobe terminate in the lumbar glands ; those from 

 the gall-bladder which are large and form a remarkable plexus, enter 

 the glands in the right border of the lesser omentum ; and those from 

 the left lobe converge to the lymphatic glands, situated along the lesser 

 curve of the stomach. 



The Lymphatic glands of the spleen are situated around its hilus, 

 and those of the pancreas in the course of the splenic vein. The 

 lymphatic vessels of these organs pass through their respective glands, 

 and join the aortic glands, previously to terminating in the thoracic 

 duct. 



The Lymphatic glands of the stomach are of small size, and are situated 

 along the lesser and greater curves of that organ. The lymphatic vessels, 

 as in other viscera, are superficial and deep, the former originating in 

 the subserous and the latter in the submucous tissue ; they pass from 

 the stomach in four different directions : some ascend to the glands, 

 situated along the lesser curve, others descend to those occupying the 

 greater curve, a third set passes outwards to the splenic glands, and a 

 fourth to the glands situated near the pylorus and to the aortic glands. 



The Lymphatic glands of the small intestine are situated between the 

 layers of the mesentery, in the meshes formed by the superior mesen- 

 teric artery, and are thence named mesenteric glands. These glands are 

 most numerous and largest, superiorly, near the duodenum ; and, in- 

 feriorly, 'near the termination of the ileum. 



The Lymphatic vessels of the small intestines are of two kinds : those 

 of the structure of the intestines, which run upon its surface previ- 

 ously to entering the mesenteric glands ; and those which commence 

 in the villi, upon the surface of the mucous membrane, and are named 

 lacteals. 



The Laeteals, according to Henle, commence in the centre of each 

 villus as a coecal tubulus, which opens into a fine network, situated in 

 the sub-mucous tissue. From this areolar network the lacteal vessels 

 proceed to the mesenteric glands, and from thence to the thoracic duct, 

 in which they terminate. 



The Lymphatic glands oftfte large intestines are situated along the 

 attached margin of the intestine, in the meshes formed by the arteries 

 previously to their distribution. The lymphatic vessels take their 

 course in two different directions ; those of the co3cum, ascending and 

 transverse colon, after traversing their proper glands, proceed to the 



