98 DISTRIBUTION OF THE ARTERIES. 



The aorta having passed the diaphragm, "becomes abdorn- 

 inal and distributes its branches in the following order. 1. 

 The phrenic, two in number, to the diaphragm. 2. The 

 cceliac, a single trunk, which divides into three branches 

 that supply the stomach, liver and spleen, called the 

 gastric, hepatic and splenic arteries. 3. The superior mes- 

 entericj about half an inch below the eceliac, sends off innu- 

 merable branches which go to the small intestine, and the 

 ascending and transverse portion of the" large. 4. The emul- 

 gent arteries come from the aorta at right angles, and go 

 to the right and left kidneys. 5. The spermatic going to 

 the testicles, are small and of great length. 6. The inferior 

 mesenteric is a single trunk, supplying the left colon. *7. 

 The lumbar arteries, from three to five in number, supply 

 the walls of the abdomen. These are all the primary 

 branches given off by the abdominal aorta to its termina- 

 tion, and are about 19 in number. The whole number sent 

 off by the arterial trunk from its commencement to its ter- 

 mination, counting the two terminating branches, is about 

 66 five from the curve, forty from the thoracic, and 

 twenty-one from the abdominal aorta. 



The aorta, as already stated, terminates at the space be- 

 tween the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae, from whence 

 proceed the common iliacs, which go to the sacro-iliac sym- 

 physis, and there divide into two main branches, the inter- 

 nal and external iliac arteries. The former supply the 

 pelvic cavity and its viscera, the latter go to the inferior 

 extremities. 



The principal branches of the internal iliac or hypogas- 

 tric artery are, 1, the ilio lumbar; 2, the lateral sacral; 3, 

 the obturator; 4, the middle haamorrhoidal ; 5, the uterine 

 peculiar to females; 6, the vesical; f, the gluteal; 8, ischiatic, 

 which go to the rectum, bladder, vesiculae serninales, pros- 

 tate gland, and walls of the pelvis, while the same branches 

 supply the vagina, uterus, ovaries and common parts of the 

 female. 



The external iliac artery is so called till it reaches Pou- 

 part's ligament, when it becomes femoral. It gives off but 



