THE MILK, OR SUB-CUTANEOUS ABDOMINAL VEIN. 219 



veins behind, are proper places for bleeding — and some say tbe 

 milk, or sub-cutaneous abdominal vein. This last vein is large 

 enough for the speedy abstraction of any quantity of blood in the 

 shortest period ; but the jugular is the most convenient bleeding- 

 place in particular cases ; and the only question is, whether any local 

 advantage can be obtained by opening the sub-cutaneous abdominal. 



THE MILK, OR SUB-CUTANEOUS ABDOMINAL VEIN*. 



This vein first comes into view under the abdomen, at the com- 

 mencement of the cartilaginous circle of the false ribs. It emerges 

 from two foramina, or openings, (the situation of which is pointed 

 out by fig. 18, p. 208.) It approaches, on either side, the mesian 

 line of the abdomen, and burying itself between the thighs, it pur- 

 sues its course towards the inguinal vein. Sometimes it unites with 

 the superpubian vein, and occasionally gives a bran-ch to the sub- 

 pelvian. In the neighborhood of the cartilaginous circle, it presents 

 two branches, the one external and superior, the other internal and 

 inferior. The first springs from various cutaneous ramifications, 

 reachinof even to the thorax, and anastomosino- or communicatinof 

 with some of the sub-cutaneous veins of the thorax. The other 

 branch penetrates within the cartilaginous circle, and goes to unite 

 with a principal division of the veins of the sternum. 



This milk vein is derived from numerous ramifications from the 

 walls of the chest, as far anteriorly as the breast bone, and taking in 

 some of the external intercostals. It belongs to the respiratory sys- 

 tem more than to any other. As it advances posteriorly along the 

 abdomen, it creeps by the side of the udder, or of the scrotum, and 

 empties itself partly into the inguinal, and partly into the sub-pelvian 

 vein. As it travels along the abdomen and the groin, it receives 

 some muscular and cutaneous fibres, but nothinof more. Its use is to 

 assist m returmng the blood from these parts, and also by this round- 

 about journey, and these curious connections, to establish a free com- 

 munication between the anterior and posterior cavce, or the blood 

 which is returned from the anterior and posterior portions of the 

 body. This may be a matter of considerable consequence in certain 

 states of the constitution. 



Should we have recourse to the milk vein in order to obtain the 

 benefit of local bleeding ? We should in cases of abdominal inflam- 

 mation, for we should unload the vessels of the walls of the abdo- 

 men, and probably assist in unloading some of the internal vessels 

 too, and we should abate the danger of peritoneal inflammation. 

 For yet stronger reasons, we should have recourse to it in thoracic 

 affection, for most of the smaller ramifications which compose this 

 vein come from the thorax, and there is greater sympathy, and there 

 are more numerous connections between the outer and inner portion 

 of the wall of the chest than of the abdomen. But if we were to 



