VESSELS AND NERVES OF THE CORD. 143 



The artery above mentioned is called the Spermatic. Ii 

 commonly arises from the front of the aorta, very near its 

 fellow, at a small distance below the emulgents, and is not 

 much larger than a crow's quill. It proceeds downwards 

 behind the peritoneum and before the psoas muscle, and ureter. 

 — While it is in contact with the psoas muscle, it joins the 

 ramifications of the vein. It afterwards meets the vas deferens, 

 and proceeds through the abdominal ring to the back part of 

 the testis. Before it arrives at the testis, it divides into several 

 branches, two of which generally go to the epididymis, and the 

 others penetrate the tunica albuginea on the upper and back of 

 the testicle, and ramify very minutely on the fine membranous 

 partitions which exist on that body. 



In addition to the spermatic artery, there is a small twig from 

 the umbilical branch of the hypogastric, which passes to the 

 spermatic cord along the vas deferens. 



The branches of the spermatic vein are much larger than 

 those of the artery : several of them proceed from the testicle 

 so as to correspond with the arterial branches ; and in addition 

 to these there are many smaller, which also arise from the testi- 

 cle and epididymis. In their course up the cord they ramify, 

 and again unite so as to form a considerable plexus, which is 

 called the Corpus Pampiniforme, and constitutes a considerable 

 part of the volume of the spermatic cord. 



As they proceed upwards, they unite into a few larger veins ; 

 and finally, on the psoas muscle, they generally form one trunk, 

 which continues upwards so as to unite with the vena cava on 

 the right side, and the emulgent vein on the left. 



Sometimes, but not often, there are several spermatic veins on 

 each side. 



The Lymphatic Vessels of the testicle are very numerous, 

 considering the size of tlie organ. Six or eight, and sometimes 

 more, large trunks have been injected, running upon the cord, and 

 continuing to the glands on the back part of the abdomen. 



The JServes of the testicle are derived from those which 

 supply the viscera of the abdomen, and are to be found in the 

 cord, although they can scarcely be traced to the testicle. A 

 small plexus, called the spermatic, is formed by fibres from the 



