364 ANATOMICAL TECHNOLOGY. 



by a ligature or compressor (Fig. 13), and the dissection may com- 

 mence fifteen minutes after the injection with plaster ; or if injected 

 with fine mass, after an hour open the abdomen as for the abdomi- 

 nal 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 should be carried caudad till they reach the 

 free edge of the abdominal flaps. The diaphragm should be cut 

 next the ventral wall, and the ventral wall removed with great care 

 so as to avoid wounding the veins or arteries. With nippers (Fig. 

 11), carefully cut the left ribs, except the first, about 2 cm. from 

 their heads. Turn the free edge of the thoracic wall to the left. 



§ 986. Vasa chylifera, Ijacteals. — Turn the omentum majus 

 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. Draw the large intestine caudad, and there will be seen a 

 very large lacteal trunk extending dorso-cephalad from the large 

 mesenteric gland (§§ 731, 993, B). 



Dorsad of the caecum this vessel crosses obliquely the superior 

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

 parallel with the superior mesenteric artery (Fig. 108, 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 chyli, 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. — Cut the peritoneum along the abdominal wall from 

 the caudal end of the kidney to the diaphragm. Reflect 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, 



