SYMPATHETIC GANGLIA IN THE HEAD. 531 



in forming the carotid plexus, found at this point. The man- 

 ner in which these ganglia communicate one with another and 

 with the superior cervical is well shown in fig. 214. 

 The branches that are there seen connected with the upper 

 part of the superior cervical ganglion, and which are described 

 as descending from the carotid canal by Dr. Wistar, are now 

 believed to be the proper ascending branches of the superior 

 cervical ganglion itself, intended to place the important organs 

 which are found in the cranium and face, in sympathetic con- 

 nection with the great centres of organic life, the heart and 

 the stomach. 



From the carotid plexus, filaments ascend along the branches 

 of the carotid artery ; one of these ascending with the anterior 

 artery of the cerebrum, meets its fellow of the opposite side 

 on the anterior communicating artery, and on it is formed the 

 ganglion of Ribes ; thus constituting at their superior termina- 

 tions an anastomosis of the sympathetic nerves of either side, 

 as is found to take place below at their inferior extremity, on 

 the front of the os coccygis. 



A small branch is also seen fig. 214, directed forwards and 

 upwards to communicate with the .ophthalmic or ciliary 

 ganglion. This ganglion as before described, page 490, has 

 branches also passing in the orbit between it, and the motor 

 oculi and the nasal branch of the fifth pair of cerebral nerves. 

 From the ciliary ganglion pass off nine or ten ciliary nerves, 

 which pierce the sclerotic coat at the back part of the ball, and 

 are distributed to the tunics of the eye ; one branch, according 

 to Tiedemann, accompanying the centralis retina? artery to the 

 interior of the eyeball. 



From the carotid plexus, a communication is made forwards 

 and downwards with the spheno-palatine ganglion, which is 

 the largest of all the sympathetic ganglia of the head. 

 On one of the nasal branches sent inwards and forwards 

 from the ganglion, called the naso-palatine, is found the 

 ganglion of Cloquet, which is then put in connection with the 

 sympathetic nerve, through the medium of the ganglion of 

 Meckel, or spheno-palatine. But these ganglia have already 



