LUMBAR ARTERIES. 315 



ispermatic cord along the spermatic canal and through the scrotum to the 

 testicle, to which it is distributed. The right spermatic artery lies in front 

 ot the vena cava, and both vessels are accompanied by their corresponding 

 veins and by the spermatic plexuses of nerves. 



The spermatic arteries in the female descend into the pelvis and pass 

 between the two layers of the broad ligaments of the uterus, to be distri 

 buted to the ovaries, Fallopian tubes, and round ligaments ; along the 

 latter they are continued to the inguinal canal and labium at each side. 



They inosculate with the uterine arteries. 



The INFERIOR MESENTERIC ARTERY, smaller than the superior, arises 

 from the abdominal aorta, about two inches below the origin of that ves- 

 sel, and descends between the layers of the left mesocolon, to the left iliac 

 fossa, where it divides into three branches : 



Colica sinistra, 



SigmoideaB, 



Superior hsemorrhoidal. 



The Colica sinistra is distributed to the descending colon, and ascends 

 to inosculate with the colica media. This is the largest arterial inoscula- 

 tion in the body. 



The Sigmoidea are several large branches which are distributed to the 

 sigmoid flexure of the descending colon. They form arches, and inoscu- 

 late above with the colica sinistra, and below with the superior haemor- 

 rhoidal artery. 



The Superior h&morrhoidal artery is the continuation of the inferior 

 mesenteric. It crosses the ureter and common iliac artery of the left side, 

 and descends between the two layers of the meso-rectum as far as the 

 middle of the rectum to which it is distributed, anastomosing with the 

 middle and external hsemorrhoidal arteries. 



The SUPRA-RENAL are two small vessels which arise from the aorta im- 

 mediately above the renal arteries, and are distributed to the supra-renal 

 capsules. They are sometimes branches of the phrenic or of the renal 

 arteries. 



The RENAL ARTERIES (emulgent) are two large trunks given off from 

 the sides of the aorta immediately below the superior mesenteric artery ; 

 the right is longer than the left on account of the position of the aorta, 

 and passes behind the vena cava to the kidney of that side. The left is 

 somewhat higher than the right. They divide into several large branches 

 previously to entering the kidney, and ramify very minutely in its vascular 

 portion. The renal arteries supply several small branches to the supra- 

 renal capsules. 



The LUMBAR ARTERIES correspond with the intercostals in the chest ; 

 they are four or five in number on each side, and curve around the bodies 

 of the lumbar vertebrae beneath the psoas muscles, and divide into two 

 branches ; one of which passes backwards between the transverse pro- 

 cesses, and is distributed to the vertebrae and spinal cord and to the mus 

 cles of the back, whilst the other takes its course behind the quadratus 

 lumborum muscle and supplies the abdominal muscles. The first lumbar 



