NECK. Gr. teayndros; Lat. collum, cer- 
viv; Fr. le cou; lial. id collo; Ger. der Hals. 
This word denotes that contracted, ribless por- 
tion of the trunk or column of support, which, 
in vertebrate animals, immediately sustains the 
head. Disease and accidental lesions so fre- 
quently submit it to surgical examinations and 
operative treatment, that familiar acquaintance 
with its intricate anatomy is of indispensable 
necessity to the practitioner. 
The order which I shall adopt in the ensuing 
article is, first, to describe fully and in order 
_ the muscles and fasciz of the neck, and sub- 
Sequently the various regions into which it may 
_ be divided with the parts contained in them; 
the earlier portion giving, as it were, a mere 
skeleton view or diagram of the anatomy; the 
latter presenting the organs in their more natural, 
_or regional arrangement, and treating of them 
im their living relations to disease, casualty, 
‘and surgical operation. I should recommend 
the student of this important part to pursue a 
similar plan; first, namely, thoroughly to im- 
press on his mind those relatively firm and fixed 
textures which admit of practical use as land- 
marks, and not, till this task is completed and 
_ these anatomical boundary lines are vividly and 
individually before him, to fill up his sketch 
with important organs, or perplex his mind 
_ with their surgical relations. 
Cc I. Tae muscxes. 
_ he muscles of the posterior region of the 
' neck and those of the shoulder having been 
=. described in a previous article (see Back), the 
__ femainder may be considered in three classes— 
1. those which most nearly cleave to the 
 Vertebre, are attached to their processes, and 
hee incipally affect their motions; 2. those, 
on Bs z : 
' chiefly in or near the median plane, which 
2 belong to the cervical portions of the respiratory 
_ and digestive apparatus, to the pharynx, larynx, 
tongue, and os hyoides; 3. the superficial 
_ muscles of the side of the neck, the sterno- 
cleido-mastoideus, and the platysma myoides. 
The first class includes—1. antiriorly, the 
i a colli and rectus capitis anticus major; 
2. laterally, the scalenus anticus, scalenus pos- 
ticus, and inter-transversales, with which may 
‘be reckoned the rectus capitis lateralis and 
_ Tectus capitis anticus minor. 
1. Anterior vertebral muscles—M. longus 
i ( Pre-dorso-atloidien: Chauss.) is a thin 
ongated muscle, which occupies an extent in 
the pre-vertebral region, corresponding to the 
three upper dorsal and to all the cervical ver- 
bre. In form it is triangular, having its 
gase at the bodies of these vertebrz, and its 
truncated apex at the middle transverse pro- 
cesses of the cervical region, and consists of 
three distinct, though united, parts, which would 
be ed by the three sides of such a 
triangle. One portion, the largest, is nearly ver- 
tical, next to the median line, and a direct 
flexor of the spine : it originates from the bodies 
of the three upper dorsal and four lower cer- 
vical vertebra, as also from the intervening 
fibro-cartilages, and, ascending, is inserted by 
two slips into the anterior surface of the bodies 
VOL. UI. 
4 
NECK. 
561 
of the second and third vertebre. The second 
part is directed trom the transverse processes of 
the third, fourth, and fifthycervical vertebra, at 
which it arisesby tendinous slips,—upward and 
inward to be inserted into the anterior tubercle 
of the atlas, and it so continues to that bone the 
previous insertion of the muscle. The remain- 
ing part detaches itself from the main body of 
the muscle at the bottom of the neck, and 
ascends obliquely outward, to infix itself by 
small tendons at the anterior tubercles of the 
transverse processes of the third and fourth 
cervical vertebre. The muscle may, in short, 
be described as passing from the bodies of the 
three upper dorsal and four lower to those of 
the three remaining cervical vertebra, receiving 
above an oblique reinforcement from the middle 
transverse processes of the neck, to which it 
has likewise below detached slips of insertion. 
M. rectus capitis anticus major ( Grand- 
trachelo-basilaire: Dumas) lies closely on the 
vertebre in the upper part of the neck, to the 
outside of the preceding muscle. It is an 
elongated, but thickish, muscle, arising by ten- 
dinous slips from the anterior tubercles of the 
transverse processes of the third, fourth, and 
fifth cervical vertebre. These become fleshy, 
unite as they ascend, and are inserted into the 
under surface of the basilar process of the 
occipital bone, beside the median line, and just 
behind the spine, which attaches the raphe 
of the pharynx. Its inner edge overlaps the 
longus colli. These muscles correspond ante- 
riorly to the great vessels of the neck, to the 
nerves which accompany them, and to the 
cervical portions of the respiratory and diges- 
tive tubes, but are separated by their own dense 
fascia from immediate relation to these parts. 
Their deep surface is in intimate connection 
with all the vertebre and intervertebral discs, to 
which they correspond. ‘Their action is incon- 
siderable; the rectus will slightly rotate and 
bend the head to its own side, or in conjunction 
with its fellow directly flex it. The longus colli, 
cooperating with its fellow, bends the cervical 
spine; or, acting singly, can slightly rotate by 
its higher fibres toward, by its lower fibres 
away from, the side on which the contraction 
occurs. 
2. Lateral vertebral muscles.—The inter- 
transversales colli are almost described by their 
name. They form, on each side, a double 
series of small square muscles, occupying the 
spaces between the adjoining transverse pro- 
cesses, which afford them attachment by both 
borders of their surface. Arising from the lips, 
which the channelled upper surfaceof each trans- 
verse process presents, they ascend in each space 
to the borders of the process immediately above, 
and are there inserted. Between the inter- 
transversales antici aud postici the spinal nerves 
of the region emerge, and the vertebral artery 
ascends. 
Strictly analogous to these are the two small 
muscles which pass to the occiput from the 
transverse process of the atlas, the rectus ca- 
pitis lateralis and rectus capitis anticus minor. 
The former would represent a posterior, the 
latter an anterior inter-transversalis. The former 
20 
