THE THYROID BODY. 587 



glandular substance, or accessary thyroid glands, are not unfrequently 

 found between the main body and the hyoid bone. 



The thyroid body is of a brownish red or purple hue, is granular 

 in texture, and weighs from one to two ounces. It is larger in the Weight and 

 woman than in the man. On cutting into the gland a viscid slze ' 

 yellowish fluid escapes. It has not any excretory tube or duct. NO duct. 



The arteries of the thyroid body are two on each side superior Arteries : 

 and inferior thyroid and they will be subsequently examined. The 

 branches of the external carotids (superior thyroid) ramify chiefly superior, 



Lesser cornu. 



Greater cornu. 



~ Pommn Ailami. 



Crico-thyroid membrane. 



A C M E A 



FIG. 212. DIAGRAM OF THE THYROID GLAND AND NEIGHBOURING PARTS. 



on the anterior aspect : while those from the subclavians (inferior inferior, 

 thyroid) pierce the deep surface of the mass. 



Occasionally there is a third branch (art. thyroidea ima) which and some- 

 arises from the innominate artery in the thorax, and ascending in 

 front of the trachea assists in supplying the thyroid body. 



The ccins are large and numerous ; they are superior, middle, Veins, 

 and inferior on each side. The first two enter the internal 

 jugular vein. The inferior thyroid veins issue from the lower part inferior, 

 of the thyroid body, and descend on the trachea, forming a plexus Jjj u * 01 

 on that tube beneath the sterno-thyroid muscles, and finally enter trachea, 

 the innominate veins by one or two trunks (tig. 171, p. 467). 



