142 ANTHROPOLOGY. 
solar and partly from the semilunar ganglions; its large posterior filaments 
accompany the vena porta, and its anterior the hepatic artery; these nerves 
accompany the vessels in the lesser omentum to the liver: some are very 
large and distinct; they enter the transverse fissure, and ramify along with 
the vessels through the capsule of Glisson. While in the lesser omentum, 
they send long filaments to form the right gastro-epiploic plexus, along the 
great border a the stomach ; others, Aliso, along the cystic artery to the gall 
bladder. 
5. The splenic plecus proceeds in a similar manner around the alone 
artery; it is not so large as the hepatic; it sends many filaments to the 
pancreas, to the great end of the stomach, and along the left epiploic artery 
to its great curvature; the rem aining fom: filaments enter the spleen. 
6. The superior siheonitee ee plexus 1s a very broad and thick fasciculus 
continued from the lower border of the solar; it forms a complete sheath 
for the superior mesenteric artery ; its branches are numerous, very long, 
and distinct; they accompany the arteries, but are straight, and do not 
form the same number of arches as the vessels are remarkable for: near the 
intestine many of them usually unite in an arch, from which fine filaments 
enter the tissues of the intestine. This plexus supplies all the small intes- 
tines, the coecum, ascending colon, and right portion of its transverse arch. 
7. The renal plexuses are formed by branches from each side of the solar, 
joined by the lesser splanchnic nerves; they surround the renal arteries, 
and accompany them into the kidneys. In the male, each renal plexus 
gives off a fasciculus to accompany the spermatic artery, around which it 
forms the spermatic plexus, and descends to the testis: in its course along 
the psoas muscle it gives off filaments to the ureter. In the female, corre- 
sponding branches from the renal plexuses supply each ovary. 
8. The inferior mesenteric plexus is much smaller than the superior, from 
the root of which it is principally derived, being also joined by branches 
from the lumbar ganglions of the sympathetic: it accompanies the inferior 
mesenteric artery and its branches, and supplies the left portion of the arch, 
the descending and the sigmoid flexure of the colon. | 
9. The hemorrhoidal plexus is formed by the filaments of the inferior 
mesenteric, continued around the superior hemorrhoidal arteries, jomed by 
small branches from the lower lumbar ganglions; 1+ supplies the superior 
and middle portions of the rectum, and communicates with the hypogastric 
plexus. 
From the sympathetic cords in the thorax a small branch is continued 
obliquely downwards and forwards on each side, close to the spine, and 
behind the crus of the diaphragm, to join the first lumbar or abdominal 
ganglion. This branch is seldom absent; when it is, the inferior splanchnic 
nerve, after joining the renal plexus, enters this ganglion, so that the conti- 
nuity is always maintained between the thoracic and abdominal portions 
of the sympathetic nerves. The lumbar ganglions and their connecting 
thread are placed on the anterior aspect of the lumbar vertebre, in a tendi- 
nous groove, between the crus of the diaphragm and psoas magnus of either 
side, nearer the median line above, but diverging below; they are variable 
848 
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