620 THE ARTERIES. 



outwards to the internal border of these organs, each divides into several 

 branches, which enter the gland either by its hilus or by its inferior face. 

 Eeaching the interior of the kidney, these branches subdi\idy, and form a net- 

 work of large vessels placed on the limit between the cortical and medullary 

 portions, from which a multitaide of ramuscules are given off, and pass almost 

 exclusively into the tissue of the cortical portion (see the description of the 

 Kidneys). 



The right renal artery, longer than the left, passes between the small psoas 

 muscle and the posterior vena cava, to reach the right kidney. Both arteries 

 are in relation with the posterior extremity of the supra-renal capsules. 



Remarkable for their relatively enormous volume, when compared with that 

 of the glands receiving them, these arteries, before penetrating the proper tissue 

 of the kidneys, give off only a few unimportant ramuscules, the principal of 

 which proceed to the supra-renal capsules (Fig. 365). Other twigs from the 

 anterior mesenteric artery, or even from the aorta itself, also supply these small 

 bodies. It is not unusual to find the kidneys receiving vessels from the arteries 

 in their vicinity. Thus, we have seen an artery from the external iliac pass into 

 a kidney by its lower face ; and we have also observed an artery, detached from the 

 aorta along with the anterior mesenteric, enter the kidney bv its anterior border. 



6. Speematic Arteeies. 



These arteries differ in the male and female ; in the male they are also 

 named the great testicular arteries ; in the female they are exclusively designated 

 as the utero-ovarian arteries. 



Spermatic or Great Testicular Artery (Fig. 338, 3). — This arises close 

 to the posterior mesenteric artery, either before, behind, or to one side of it, but 

 rarely on the same level as the artery of the opposite side ; it is then directed 

 backwards and downwards, sustained, with its satellite vein, in a particular fold 

 of peritoneum, and reaches the entrance to the internal abdominal ring, into 

 which it is seen to pass with the other portions of the spermatic cord, and to 

 descend on the testicle by forming remarkable flexuosities, which are united into 

 an elongated mass, xlrrived within the head of the epididymis, this artery 

 insinuates itself beneath the tunica albuginea — becomes encrusted, as it were, 

 in its substance — and successively passes round the superior border, posterior 

 extremity, and the inferior border and anterior extremity of the testicle. In 

 this course it is very sinuous, and detaches at a right angle a large number of 

 equally flexuous branches-, which creep over the faces of the organ while sending 

 numerous ramuscules into its structure. The epididymis also receives its blood 

 by this artery. 



Utero-ovarian Artery. — The origin of this vessel is the same as that of 

 the preceding artery. It is placed between the two layers of the broad ligament, 

 and soon bifurcates into the ovarian and uterine arteries. The ovarian branch 

 describes numerous flexuosities, like the corresponding artery in the male, and 

 comports itself on the ovary in the same manner as the latter vessel does on the 

 testicle. The uterine branch passes to the cornu of the uterus, where its divisions 

 anastomose with the proper uterine artery. 



7. Small Testiculae Arteries (Male). Uterine Arteries (Female). 



Small Testicular Artery (Cremasteric Artery, Artery of the Cord). — 

 A pair, like the spermatic artery, this vessel is very slender, and originates 



