DESCRIPTION OF THE VEINS 213 



of the hand mostly, but to some extent from the palm. 

 They comprise the following: 



The ulnar, anterior and posterior, uniting above in 

 the common ulnar. 



The radial vein is situated on the outer side, and 

 the median ascends mesially, receives a deep median 

 vein, and divides at the bend of the elbow into the 

 median basilic and median cephalic. 



The median basilic joins the common ulnar to form 

 the basilic. The bicipital fascia separates it from the 

 brachial artery. 



The median cephalic crosses the external cutaneous 

 nerve, and joins the radial to form the cephalic. 



The basilic runs along the inner side of the biceps, 

 pierces the fascia, and is continued upward into the 

 axillary vein. 



The cephalic runs along the outer side of the biceps, 

 and between the pectoralis major and deltoid, piercing 

 the costocoracoid membrane to join the axillary vein 

 below the clavicle. 



THE DEEP VEINS. The axillary vein begins where 

 the venae comites of the brachial artery and the basilic 

 vein unite. It runs internal to the artery, and receives 

 veins corresponding to its branches, as well as the 

 cephalic. 



The subclavian vein is the continuation upward of 

 the axillary, and runs at a lower level than its artery, 

 from which it is separated by the phrenic nerve and 

 scalenus anticus, to the inner border of that muscle, 

 to join the internal jugular, forming the innominate. 

 It receives the external jugular, and occasionally the 

 anterior. 



The Inferior Vena Cava. This large trunk arises 

 at the fifth lumbar by the union of the two common 

 iliacs. It ascends to the right of the aorta, grooves 

 the posterior border of the liver, pierces the diaphragm, 

 is enclosed by the serous layer of the pericardium, 

 and empties into the right auricle. 



