180 ANATOMY OP THE ABDOMEN, ETC. 



from the nieso-colon close to the intestinal wall, and the small intes 

 tine separated from the mesentery in a similar manner, tying am 

 dividing it just below the duodenum ; they are then to be set aside 

 for further examination, and kept immersed in water. 



The RENAL ARTERIES are given off at right angles from 

 the sides of the aorta, just below the origin of the superior 

 mesenteric artery; the right is given off lower down, and 

 is shorter than the left ; each divides into several terminal 

 branches to enter the kidney at its hilus ; occasionally they 

 penetrate through the sides of the organ. The aorta 

 sometimes gives off two, three, and even four, renal arte- 

 ries to one kidney, and they often vary in arrangement on 

 the two sides of the body. 



* The renal plexus lies upon the renal artery, and is 

 composed of branches from the solar and aortic plexuses ; 

 the inferior and renal splanchnic nerves (p. 122) also ter- 

 minate in this plexus. Ganglia of various size occur in 

 it, and its branches ramify upon and in the substance of 

 the kidney. 



A small branch from the side of the aorta just above the 

 renal artery goes to the supra-renal capsule, and is called 

 the SUPRA-RENAL ARTERY. The capsule usually receives 

 a branch from the renal and also from the phrenic arteries. 



The SPERMATIC ARTERIES are two long and slender 

 branches given off from the front of the aorta, just below 

 the origin of the renal arteries ; occasionally they arise by 

 a common trunk ; sometimes there are two upon one side, 

 and their origin may be from the renal artery. They pass 

 downward beneath the peritoneum, crossing the ureter and 

 external iliac artery, to the internal inguinal ring, and then 

 accompany the spermatic cord to the testis. In the female 

 these arteries are called the ovarian, and instead of passing 

 out of the abdominal cavity, they dip into the pelvis, and 

 pass up between the layers of the broad ligament of the 

 uterus to the ovaries. The length of these vessels will be 

 accounted for, when it is remembered that the testicle 

 descends at the close of intra-uterine life to the scrotum 

 from the lumbar region, and that the ovary, during preg- 

 nancy, is lifted with the uterus above the umbilicus ; it is 

 therefore for the purpose of accommodating these dis- 

 placements of the organs to which they are distributed. 



* The spermatic plexus accompanies the spermatic arte- 

 ries ; it is formed by branches from the renal and aortic 

 plexuses. 



