THE WITHERS 19 



mesial face of the trapezius laterally and to the 

 longissimus dorsi ventrally and spinalis dorsi 

 mesially and ventrally. Secondary abscesses 

 of fistul^e of the withers said to be located "un- 

 der the scapula" are in reality located under 

 this muscle, resting upon the longissimus dorsi 

 but without any obstacle against the filtration 

 of pus further down than under the upper part 

 of the serratus dorsi. Pus seldom goes to a 

 lower level because the latter muscle is at- 

 tached firmly to the costal surface and above to 

 the mesial face of the scapula, forming a space 

 having a firm floor but without anterior and 

 posterior walls. 



Rhomboideus Cervicalis 



The rhomboideus cervicalis is the forward 

 elongation of the thoracalis, extending toward 

 the head along the ligamentum nuchse as far 

 forward as the axis. Its insertion is the an- 

 terior part of the mesial face of the cartilage of 

 prolongation. Its surgical importance lies in 

 the fact that its ventral margin just in front of 

 the scapula affords a point of invasion into the 

 seat of a typical fistula (Fig. 2). It is also so 

 closely related to the ligamentum nuchcT that 

 it seldom escapes attack from the morbid pro- 

 cess, and when heedlessly sacrificed in resect- 

 ing the ligamentum nucha? a pronounced de- 



