ABSORBENTS OF THE ABDOMEN AND THORAX. 355 



the dorsum of the penis. (See fig. 184, p. 361.) There are 

 frequently several trunks which receive branches from the lower 

 surface of the penis in their course. At the root of the penis 

 they generally separate to the right and left, and pass to the 

 glands on the respective sides. 



In females, the absorbents of the interior of the clitoris 

 accompany the internal pudic artery. Some, which arise about 

 the vagina, pass through the abdominal ring with the round 

 ligament ; and others proceed to the inguinal glands. 



Of the Absorbents of the Abdomen and Thorax. 



The Absorbents of the lower portions of the parietes of the 

 Abdomen and Pelvis unite into trunks that follow the epigas- 

 tric, the circumflex and the iliac, as well as the lumbar and 

 sacral arteries, (fee. They proceed to some of the glands which 

 are in the groin ; or to the external iliac, the hypogastric, or 

 some of the contiguous plexuses. 



The Absorbents of the Womb are extremely numerous ; and, 

 in the gravid state, are very large. Those which are on the neck 

 and anterior part of the body accompany the spermatic vessels. 



The Absorbents of the Bladder pass to small glands on its 

 lateral and inferior parts, and finally join the hypogastric plexus. 



The Absorbents of the Rectum are of considerable size. 

 They pass through glands that lie upon that intestine, and unite 

 with the lumbar plexus. 



The Absorbents of the Kidney are superficial and deep- 

 seated. They are very numerous, but, in a healthy state of the 

 parts, are discovered with difficulty. Cruikshank describes 

 them as they appeared, filled with blood, in consequence of 

 pressing upon the kidney when its veins were full of blood. 

 Mascagni did not inject the superficial vessels with mercury ; 

 but describes them as they appeared when filled with colorless 

 size, after he had injected the blood-vessels of the organ with 

 the colored fluid. The deep-seated absorbents pass out of the 

 fissure of the kidney with the blood-vessels, and unite with the 

 superficial ; they proceed to the lumbar plexus, and pass into 

 different glands. 



