LYMPHATICS OP THE LIVER. 353 



and in old age a deep black colour. In infancy they have none of 

 this pigment, and are not to be distinguished from lymphatic glands 

 in other situations. 



The Lymphatic vessels of the heart originate in the subserous cel- 

 lular tissue of the surface, and in the deeper tissues of the organ, 

 and follow the course of the vessels, principally, along the right 

 border of the heart to the glands situated around the arch of the 

 aorta and bronchial glands, whence they proceed to the thoracic 

 duct. 



The Pericardiac and tkymic lymphatic vessels proceed to join the 

 anterior mediastinal and bronchial glands. 



The Lymphatic vessels of the liver are divisible into the deep and 

 superficial. The former take their course through the portal canals, 

 and through the right border of the lesser omentum, to the lymphatic 

 glands, situated in the course of the hepatic artery and along the 

 lesser curve of the stomach. The superficial lymphatics are situated 

 in the cellular structure of the proper capsule, over the whole sur- 

 face of the liver. Those of the convex surface are divided into two 

 sets; 1. Those which pass from before backwards; 2. Those 

 which advance from behind forwards. The former unite to form 

 trunks, which enter between the folds of the lateral ligaments at the 

 right 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 



45 



