SYMPATHETIC NERVE. CERVICAL GANGLIA. 533 



placed in connection with the ganglion of Meckel, and through 

 that with the other ganglia and the carotid plexus, by means 

 of the superficial petrous or Vidian nerve, which, as alpeady 

 described, after having become the chorda tympani, terminates 

 in the submaxillary ganglion. The auditory ganglion has been 

 already fully described, as well as its branches of communication 

 with the surrounding parts at page 476. 



The sympathetic system has been said to commence in the 

 cranium with those small ramifications of the pterygoid branch 

 of the upper maxillary nerve, and of the sixth pair, which ac- 

 company the carotid artery through the canal in the petrous 

 portion of the temporal bone. These small nerves form a net- 

 work which surrounds the artery in the canal and gives rise to 

 the incipient sympathetic, a small cord which passes down close 

 to the nerves of the eighth and ninth pairs of the neck. Oppo- 

 site to the second cervical vertebra, this nerve is swelled or di- 

 lated, so as to form a body of a light red color, which is more 

 than an inch in length, and has the form of two cones united to 

 each other at their bases. This is the Superior Cervical Gang- 

 lion of the Sympathetic Nerve, and from it the nerve descends, 

 behind the Par Vagum, on the front part of the neck. 



This ganglion receives twigs from the first, second, third, and 

 fourth pairs of cervical nerves, and also from the eighth and 

 ninth nerves of the head. It sends off several twigs, which 

 pass behind the carotid artery at its bifurcation and are joined 

 by twigs of the Portio Dura and the Glosso-Pharyngeal nerves. 

 From these united twigs proceed very small ramifications, 

 which accompany several branches of the external carotid 

 artery, and some of them pass down with the Common Ca- 

 rotid. 



This superior ganglion also furnishes small twigs which 

 accompany the Glosso-Pharyngeal to the tongue and pharynx. 

 Sometimes a twig from it passes on the back part of the thy- 

 roid gland to communicate with the recurrent nerve. From 

 this ganglion go off some small branches, which, uniting with 

 others from the superior laryngeal nerves, form the superior or 

 superficial cardiac nerve, which will be soon described. 

 45* 



