106 A MANUAL OF ANATOMY. 



as it is entering the chest at the root of the neck. The 

 right nerve passes to the deep cardiac plexus and the left 

 to the superficial cardiac plexus. See page 354. 



For the remaining branches of the pneumogastric nerve 

 see page 342. 



The Cervical Sympathetic Cord and Ganglia. Figs. 12, 



18. 



There are three cervical ganglia, the superior, middle, 

 and inferior, joined by the nerve cord which extends from 

 the base of the skull into the thorax, where it is continued 

 as the thoracic cord. The sympathetic cord lies upon the 

 rectus capitis anticus major and the longus colli (separated 

 from them by the prevertebral fascia), and behind the inter- 

 nal and common carotid arteries. The pneumogastric nerve 

 lies external to the cord. 



The Superior Cervical Ganglion. 



This is about an inch in length ; it lies in front of the 

 transverse process of the second and third cervical ver- 

 tebrae. 



It gives off the ascending branch, which passes upward 

 with the carotid artery and forms the carotid and cavernous 

 plexuses ; the arterial branches to the external carotid and 

 its branches ; the communicating filaments to the ninth, 

 tenth, and twelfth cranial nerves ; pharyngeal branches to 

 the pharyngeal plexus ; the superior cardiac nerve, which on 

 the right side passes to the deep cardiac plexus and on the 

 left side to the superficial cardiac plexus (see page 354); 

 and slender filaments to the anterior division of the first 

 four spinal nerves. 



The middle cervical ganglion is not always constant ; 

 when present is found in front of the inferior thyroid artery 

 as a slight thickening of the cervical cord. 



