LYMPHATICS OF THE LOWER LIMB. 



The popliteal lymphatic glands, 

 usually very small, and four or five in 

 number, surround the popliteal vessels, 

 and are imbedded in a quantity of 

 loose fat. They receive from below 

 the deep lymphatics of the leg, and 

 those which accompany the short 

 saphenous vein ; and from them pro- 

 ceed efferent vessels, which ascend 

 with the femoral artery to the groin. 



Fig. 333. VIEW OP THE SUPERFICIAL LYM- 

 PHATIC VESSELS AND GLANDS OF THE EIGHT 

 GROIN AND LOWER LIMB, AS SEEN FROM 

 THE FRONT AND INNER SIDE (founded on 

 Mascagni and others), g 



1, 1, upper inguinal glands receiving the 

 lower abdominal, the inguinal, penal, and 

 scrotal lymphatic vessels ; 2, 2, femoral or 

 lower inguinal glands, receiving the anterior 

 internal and external femoral lymphatic ves- 

 sels ; 2', the internal lymphatic vessels ; 3, 3, 

 large plexus of lymphatic vessels in the course 

 of the saphenous veins ; 4, the same descend- 

 ing upon the leg ; 5, posterior lymphatics of 

 the calf of the leg ; 6, lymphatic vessels of 

 the dorsum of the foot; 7, those of the heel 

 and inner ankle. 



The superficial inguinal glands vary 

 much in number, amounting on an 

 average to eight or ten : they are 

 divisible into a superior or oblique 

 and an inferior or vertical set. The 

 oblique glands lie in the line of Pou- 

 part's ligament and receive lymphatics 

 from the integuments of the trunk and 

 genital organs, together with a few 

 from the upper and outer part of the 

 limb : the vertical glands surround the 

 upper part of the long saphenous vein, 

 and extend two or three inches down- 

 wards along the course of that vessel ; 

 they receive the greater number of the 

 lymphatics which ascend from the limb. 

 The efferent vessels of the superficial 

 inguinal glands perforate the fascia, 

 come into connection with those situ- 

 ated deeply, pass into the abdomen by 

 the side of the blood-vessels, and ter- 

 minate in a chain of lymphatics which 

 lie along the external iliac artery, and 

 end in the lumbar glands. 



The deep-seated inguinal glands are 

 placed beneath the others, and surround 

 the femoral artery and vein. 



Fig. 333. 



