332 THE BLOODVESSELS OF THE EYE, BY TH. LEBER. 



to the margin of the cornea, and here give off fine branches at 

 regular distances to the cornea, forming the 



Anterior conjunctival arteries and veins. These pursue a 

 recurrent course in the conjunctiva, supply the innermost zone 

 of the conjunctiva, which has a breadth of from three to four 

 millimeters, and anastomose with the peripheric or posterior 

 conjunctival vessels. One or two veins constantly accompany 

 each artery, in the latter case one being situated on either 

 side of the artery. 



The terminal branches of the episcleral vessels, frequently 

 subdividing and anastomosing, run beyond and over the mar- 

 gin of the cornea, forming the looped marginal plexus of the 

 cornea, which extends for a distance of one or at most two 

 millimeters over the periphery of this membrane, and usually 

 advance to a somewhat greater extent above and below than 

 at the sides. 



In the capillary loops we may discern a more slender ascend- 

 ing arterial limb, and a descending gradually widening venous 

 limb. 



In Man, after birth, no vessels penetrate into the substance 

 of the cornea beyond this zone. 



In the foetus, J. Miiller found vessels distributed over the whole 

 anterior surface of the cornea. In many animals, as for example in the 

 Sheep and Ox, vessels extend to a considerably greater distance over 

 the surface of the cornea. In Oxen the superficial marginal loops, 

 with flattened arches, can be very clearly distinguished from the 

 vascular loops accompanying. the nerves which penetrate much more 

 deeply into the cornea. In the Sheep, Coccius saw these last extend 

 as far as to the middle of the cornea. In Keratitis, newly formed 

 vessels very frequently make their appearance, which may be situated 

 in this membrane at all parts of its thickness. 



3. CONJUNCTIVAL VASCULAR SYSTEM. 



The larger peripheric portion of the scleral conjunctiva, the 

 sulcus, and the tarsal portion, are supplied by the vessels of the 

 lids, the arteriae palpebrales medians et laterales, and the cor- 

 responding veins. 



To the scleral conjunctiva pass numerous small arborescent 

 branched vessels, arteries and venae conjunctive posticse (fig. 



