140 SURGICAL APPLIED ANATOMY. [Omp. ix 



downwards to the upper edge of the thyroid cartilage. 

 The lingual arises opposite the tip of the great cornu, 

 and runs just above that process on its way to the 

 tongue. The facial artery is very tortuous, but its 

 general course in the neck is represented by a line 

 drawn from the anterior border of the masseter at the 

 lower border of the jaw to a point just above the tip 

 of the great cornu, while the occipital follows a line 

 that starts from the latter point and runs across the 

 base of the mastoid process. 



The external jugular vein follows a line drawn 

 from the angle of the jaw to the middle of the clavicle. 



The subclavian artery describes a curve at the base 

 of the posterior triangle. One end of the curve 

 corresponds to the sterno-clavicular joint, the other 

 end to the centre of the clavicle, the summit of the 

 curve rising to a point about half an inch above that 

 bone. In the angle between the posterior edge of 

 the sterno-mastoid and the clavicle the pulsations of 

 the artery may be felt. Just above the bone the 

 artery may be compressed against the first rib. The 

 compression is most easily applied when the arm is 

 well drawn down, and the direction of the pressure 

 should be downwards and inwards. 



The subclavian vein lies below the artery, and is 

 entirely under cover of the clavicle. 



The suprascapular and transverse cervical arteries 

 run parallel with the clavicle, the former quite behind 

 the bone, the latter just above it. The pulsations of 

 the latter vessel can generally be felt. 



Nerves. The position of the chief superficial 

 nerves of the neck may be fairly indicated by six 

 lines, all drawn from the middle of the posterior border 

 of the sterno-mastoid muscle. A line drawn forwards 

 from this spot so as to cross the sterno-mastoid at 

 right angles to its long axis, corresponds to the super 

 Gcial cervical nerve. A second Hue drawn up across 



