THORACIC VISCERA, 455 



Besides these larger glands, there are about fifteen smaller lobes 

 dispersed along the course of the ilio-c£eca] artery. 



The lymphatic vessels form a large network, converging from 

 the visceral walls to the mesenteric glands, which they enter at 

 the superior extremity of the mesentery. The efferent branches, 

 usually two or three from each gland, unite to form larger ones, 

 which finally join the intestinal branch of the receptaculum chyli. 



The lymjjJiatics of the stomach. — The glands of the stomach 

 are divided into two classes ; a large series, situated in the lesser, 

 and a chain of smaller ones, distributed along the greater curva- 

 ture, and attached to the gastro-colic omentum. The deep and 

 superficial lymphatics of the stomach enter these glands, and 

 collecting on the blood-vessels, pass up towards the greater cul- ■ 

 de-sac near the coeliac axis, where they anastomose with branches 

 from the spleen and liver, forming large flexuous trunks, some of 

 which enter the thoracic duct, while others pass backwards to the 

 trunks of the intestinal lymphatics. 



The lymphatics of the spleen. — Those of the spleen are deep 

 and superficial ; the former occurring in the parenchyma, the 

 -latter on the surface. They all pass to the branches of the 

 vessels in the hilus, enter numerous groups of glands, and are 

 dispersed along the blood-vessels, anastomosing with the lymphatics 

 of the stomach and liver. 



The lymphatics of the liver consist of a deep series in the 

 parenchyma of the gland, and a network of superficial ones on 

 the capsule. They assemble towards the posterior fissure, and, 

 entering a group of small glands, pass into a much larger group 

 situated between the trunk of the vena porta and the pancreas. 

 Their efferents anastomose with those of the stomach and spleen. 



THORACIC VISCERA. 



In the thorax there are three groups of lymphatic glands ; a 

 series of small ones in the posterior mediastinum, which receive 

 the lymphatic vessels of the posterior part of the a3sopbagus ; the 

 bronchial glands, which are situated at the angle of bifurcation 

 of the trachea, stretching a short distance into the parenchyma 

 of the lungs, and receiving their lymphatic vessels ; two series of 

 glands, extending along the infero- lateral face of the trachea 

 from the base of the heart to the first rib, receiving the lymphatics 

 from the pericardium and heart, and portions of the trachea and 



