364 ANATOMICAL TECBNOLOGT. 



of the mesentery (§ 725) by tearing it away with the tracer along the sides of the vessel 

 rather than directly over it. When the vessel is exposed cut a V-shaped incision with 

 pointed scissors, and insert a canula — but it need not be tied in. Simple pressure with 

 the thumb and index during the injection will prevent regurgitation, and the valvea 

 prevent the escape of the mass after the injection is finished. Fill the canula with 

 water, and then inject yellow starch (§ 345, E. pp. 139-140). The pressure must be very- 

 slight ; and if the kidney and other tissues covering the receptaculum chyli (Fig. 103} 

 are gently compressed during the injection, success will be more certain. In case the 

 large lacteal is not filled with chyle, it may be filled with Berlin blue by injecting inta 

 one of the mesenteric glands near the caecum, as described in (§ 993 B). Open the ab- 

 domen as for the abdominal viscera (§ 710), and the thorax as for the blood vessels 

 (§ 918), except that the left side should be cut as well as the right, and the longitudinal 

 incisions carried caudad till they reach the free edge of the abdominal flaps. Cut the 

 diaphragm next the ventral wall, and remove the ventral wall with great care so as to 

 avoid wounding the veins or arteries. With nippers (Fig. 11), cut the left ribs, except the 

 first, about 3 cm. from their heads. Turn the free edge of the thoracic wall to the left. 



§ 986. Vasa chylifera, Iiacteals. — Turn the omentum Tnajus 

 cephalad and lift the intestines. Look at the mesentery, and the 

 lacteal vessels will be seen as whitish or yellowish lines extending- 

 dorsad from the intestine and nearly parallel with the blood ves- 

 sels. 



Dorsad of the caecum the lacteal crosses obliquely the superior 

 mesenteric vein (Fig. 103, V. m. s.), and extends dorsad nearly 

 parallel with the superior mesenteric artery (Fig. 103, A. m. s.). 

 Attempt to force the contained chyle toward the periphery, and the 

 beaded appearance shown in Fig. 103 will result. This is due to 

 the valves, which are similar in form and function to those in the 

 veins (Fig. 102, B. c, § 963). 



§ 987. Receptaculum chyU, az. (Fig. 103).— This is a fusiform 

 enlargement at the caudal end of the left thoracic duct, into which 

 empty the lacteals or vasa chylifera from the alimentary canal, and 

 the lymphatics from the caudal half of the body (§ 992). 



Exposure.— Qui the peritoneum along the abdominal wall from 

 the caudal end of the kidney to the diaphragm. Eeflect the peri- 

 toneum and kidney mesad, and the receptaculum will appear as 

 a fusiform yellowish sac on the dorso-sinistral side of the aorta, 

 extending from a point about opposite the hilum of the kidney to 

 the hiatus aorticus in the diaphragm (Fig. 90). 



§ 988. Ductus thoracicus sinister (Fig. 103).— The left thoracic 

 duct is the common trunk which receives the lymphatics of the 

 entire caudal half of the body, including those of the alimentary 

 canal— the lacteals or vasa chylifera— and those of the left side of 

 the head, face, neck and thorax. It pours its contents — lymph or, 



