42 THE EXTERNAL AND MIDDLE EAR, BY J. KESSEL. 



nerves and vessels ; a few capillary vessels only, according to 

 Gerlach (7), forming anastomoses at the periphery between the 

 mucous membrane and the cutis. As far as I am aware, no 

 other description of the lymphatics exists besides that published 

 by me in the Centralblatt fur die Medicinische Wissenschaften. 

 The results of my observations show that nerves, bloodvessels, 

 and lymphatics are discoverable in all the three principal 

 layers forming the membrana tympani the cutis, the mem- 

 brana propria, and the mucous membrane. 



The bloodvessels of the cutis (and membrana propria) are 

 chiefly supplied by an artery which runs from the posterior 

 superior wall of the auditory meatus on to the membrana 

 tympani, ascends at its posterior part along the manubrium, 

 and gives off a successive series of small branches in a radial 

 direction. The artery crosses the lower extremity of the 

 manubrium, and then divides into two branches, of which 

 one supplies the anterior inferior quadrant. The branches 

 running in a centrifugal direction in the cutis, and here and 

 there connected by transverse or oblique anastomoses, termi- 

 nate in capillaries, which on the one hand unite to form the 

 smaller veins accompanying the arteries, and on the other 

 hand pass straight into two venous plexuses, of which one 

 encircles the manubrium, and conveys its blood into the pos- 

 terior superior veins of the cutis of the auditory meatus, whilst 

 the other lies at the border of the membrana tympani, and 

 likewise conveys its blood in an outward direction. 



In addition to this main artery, other smaller ones pass, at 

 tolerably regular distances from the periphery, with the cutis, 

 upon the membrana tympani, where they quickly break up 

 into capillaries that join with those above described. The 

 capillary plexus lying centrally in the membrana propria com- 

 municates both with that of the mucous membrane, and with 

 the more external one just mentioned ; it is distributed between 

 the radial and circular fibrous layers, as well as in the lacunar 

 system, being everywhere closely attached to the walls of the 

 latter. At the middle and internal parts lying between the 

 manubrium and the tendinous ring, where the radial fibres 

 become more and more aggregated together in their course 

 towards the manubrium, and the circular fibres are deficient, 



