THE AFFLUENTS OF THE THORACIC DUCT. 727 



4. Popliteal Glands. 



These are a very small mass of from three to five independent lobules, 

 situated behind the great sciatic nerve and gastrocnemius muscle, between the 

 biceps femoris and semitendinosus muscles, and near the femoro-popliteal artery. 



They receive some of the lymphatics from the neighbourhood of the hock, 

 and those coming from the posterior and inferior part of the gluteal region. 

 Their efferents join the deep inguinal glands, by followmg the muscular inter- 

 stices of the thigh. 



5. Iliac Glands. 



Slightly yellow in colour, and of a soft consistence, these glands are five 

 or six in number, and form a group which is situated in the triangular space 

 between the two branches of the circumflex iliac artery. They receive the 

 emergent branches of the precrural glands, and a great number of deep 

 lymphatics from the abdominal wall. Their efferent branches, four or five in 

 number, follow the circumflex iliac artery to pass to the sublumbar glands. 



6. Precrural Glands. 



Placed within the anterior border of the tensor fascia lata, on the course of 

 the circumflex iliac artery, these glands form a small elongated mass, composed 

 of a dozen lobules lying close to each other. To this group come afferent 

 vessels from the anterior and internal part of the thigh. It gives origin to 

 three or four large efferent vessels, which ascend the internal face of the fascia 

 lata muscle, accompanying the circumflex iliac artery, and entering the abdominal 

 cavity near the angle of the haunch, to join the iliac glands. 



Lymphatics of the Abdominal Viscera. 



1. Glands and Lymphatic Vessels of the Rectum and Floating Colon. 



The glands in this portion of the intestinal tube are : at flrst, two or three 

 lobules placed at the base of the tail and on each side of the sphincter ani ; in 

 the second place, a very numerous series of small glandular bodies situated along 

 the small curvature of the viscus ; thirdly, some rounded lobules comprised 

 within the tAvo layers of the mesentery, and placed on the course of the arterial 

 and venous divisions. 



Originating in the texture of the mucous and muscular tunics, the lymphatic 

 radicles gain the glands of the small curvature of the colon, and escape from 

 them as efferent branches, which pass in great numbers into the mesentery. 

 These efferents — or at least some of them — pass through the lymphatic glands 

 placed on the course of the blood-vessels, and collect, near the origin of the 

 posterior mesenteric artery, into several somew^hat luminous branches, which 

 join the divisions of the sublumbar glands, or those of the large colon. 



2. Glands and Lymphatic Vessels of the Double Colon. 



There is seen on this enormous viscus ^ double chain of glands, lying beside 

 the colic arteries, and numerous small lobules disseminated at a short distance 

 from the principal glands, and on the track of the collateral branches furnished 

 by these two vessels. 



