THE WITHERS 21 
rhomboideus and the complexus and spinatus. 
These three muscles may be said for descrip- 
tive purposes to fill in the angular space 
formed by the ribs and vertebral spines. 
Structures of Lesser Surgical Importance 
The complexus anteriorly and the spinalis 
dorsi posteriorly have no especial surgical sig- 
nificance, except that the former lies closely 
attached both to the lamellar and the funicu- 
lar portions of the igamentum nuche and the 
latter to the spines of the vertebra and are 
therefore implicated in disease processes, and 
besides being just two more structures to form 
channels for the burrowing of pus they in no 
way govern the course of surgical operations. 
In fact pus cavities that have formed beneath 
these muscles are inaccessible and disease of 
the structures between them (bones posteriorly 
and the Jamellar portion of the ligamentum 
nuche anteriorly) usually constitutes an in- 
curable condition. 
Viewed as a Whole 
The muscles of the withers viewed with the 
purpose of standardizing surgical procedure 
against fistula may be compared to an irregu- 
larly-shaped covered trough containing a 
longitudinal partition. Anteriorly the trough 
is walled by the splenius and the serratus cer- 
