358 LYMPHATICS OF THE VISCERA. 



glands, whence they proceed to the root of the neck, and terminate in the 

 thoracic duct. 



The Pericardiac and thymic lymphatic vessels proceed to join the ante- 

 rior mediastinal and bronchial glands. 



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

 perficial. 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 areolar struc 

 ture of the proper capsule, over the whole surface 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, w T hich 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 for- 

 wards consist of two groups : one ascends bet\veen the folds of the broad 

 ligament, and perforates the diaphragm, to terminate in the anterior medi- 

 astinal 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 bor- 

 der 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 sto- 

 mach 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 pass outwards to the splenic glands, and a fourth to the 

 glands situated near the pylorus and to the aortic glands. 



The Lymphatic glands of the small intestine are situated between the 

 layers of the mesentery, in the meshes formed by the superior mesenteric 

 artery, and are thence named mesenteric glands. These glands are most 

 numerous and largest, superiorly, near the duodenum; and, inferiorly, 

 near the termination of the ileum. 



The Lymphatic vessels of the small intestines are of two kinds : those 

 of the structure of the intestines, which run upon its surface pre- 

 viously to entering the mesenteric glands ; and those which commence 

 in the villi, in the substance of the mucous membrane, and am named 

 lacteals. 



The Lacteals, according to Henle, commence in the centre of each vil- 

 ? us as a caecal tubulus, which opens into a fine network, situated in the 



