THE LYMPHATICS OF THE THORAX. 



555 



4. The superior mediastinal or cardiac glands, a large and numerous 

 group, are placed in the upper part of the interpleural space, in connection with the 

 innominate veins and the arch of the aorta, and more deeply between the latter and 

 the lower end of the trachea ; they receive the lymphatics of the heart, of the 

 greater part of the pericardium, and of the thymus gland. Their efferent ducts 

 form two or three vessels on each side, which ascend along the trachea to the thoracic 

 and right lymphatic ducts respectively. 



5. The bronchial glands are also numerous, and are continuous above with 

 the foregoing group ; the largest occupy the interval between the bronchi at their 

 divergence, and others of smaller size accompany the primary divisions of each of 



Fig. 421. THE LYMPHATICS OF THK 



HEAD AND NECK AND OP THE UPPER 



PART OF THE TRUNK. (Mascagni.) ^ 



The chest and pericardium have been 

 opened on the left side, and the left 

 mamma detached and thrown outwards 

 over the left arm, so as to expose a great 

 part of its deep surface. 



The principal lymphatic vessels and 

 glands are shown on the side of the head 

 and face, and in the neck, axilla, and 

 mediastinum. Between the left internal 

 jugular vein and common carotid artery, 

 the upper ascending part of the thoracic 

 duct is seen marked ], and above this, 

 and descending to 2, the arch and last 

 part of the duct. The termination of 

 the upper lymphatics of the diaphragm 

 in the mediastinal glands, as well as the 

 cardiac and the sternal glands, are also 

 shown. 



those tubes in the hilum of the 

 lung. They receive the lympha- 

 tics of the lung ; and their efferent 

 vessels, forming two or three con- 

 siderable trunks, ascend on the 

 trachea with those of the cardiac 

 glands to join the great lympha- 

 tic ducts. In early infancy the 

 colour of the bronchial glands is 



pale red ; towards puberty they become greyish and studded with dark spots ; at 

 a more advanced age they are frequently very dark or almost black.' 



6. The posterior mediastinal glands, eight to twelve, lie along the descend- 

 ing thoracic aorta and oesophagus, receiving lymphatics from the latter and from 

 the hinder parts of the pericardium and the diaphragm ; their efferent vessels join 

 mainly the thoracic duct, but some pass also to the bronchial glands. 



The deep lymphatics of the thoracic wall are divided into two sets, anterior 

 and posterior. The anterior lymphatics pass forwards in the intercostal spaces and 

 enter the sternal glands. The posterior or intercostal lymphatics run backwards 

 with the intercostal vessels, receive opposite the intervals between the transverse 

 processes accessions from the muscles of the back and the spinal canal, and termi- 

 nate in the intercostal glands. 



The lymphatics of the heart form a rich plexus on the surface of the ventricles, 

 the chief vessels following the coronary arteries in the interventricular and auriculo- 

 ventricular furrows. At the base of the heart anteriorly they are collected into two 



