ON ABNORMALITIES OF ABDOMINAL ARTERIES OF A PANDA. 175 



13. On Abnormalities of the Abdominal Arteries of a young 

 Panda. By C. F. Sonntag, M.D., Ch.B., Anatomist 

 to the Society. 



[Received February 20, 1920 : Read March 30, 1920.] 



(Text-figure 20.) 



The animal in which the peculiarities described below occurred 

 was born in the Society's menagerie on June 6th, 1919, and died 

 on December 12th, 1919. The abnormalities involved the coeliac^ 

 superior mesenteric, and renal arteries. The first one was 

 unique, but the others are occasionally met with. 



The Coeliac u'ii^tery. 



The coeliac artery was abnormal in its origin, course, termina- 

 tion, and some of its branches. 



It arose from the left side of the abdominal aorta, instead of 

 from the front, just above the superior mesenteric artery. It 

 passed upwards and to the left, behind the stomach and above tlie 

 pancreas, towards the oesopliMgus, describing a wide curve with 

 its convexity to the left. On reaching the oesophagus it passed 

 behind it and entered the left pleural cavity through the oeso- 

 phageal opening in the diaphragm. Within the left pleural sac 

 it exhibited a free loose part measuring 1'3 cm., and then it 

 passed into the left lung at its antero-inferior angle. AVithin the 

 lower lobe of the left lung, to which it is confined, it l uns upwards 

 parallel to the pulmonary vein, i. e., it described a course which 

 is curved with the convexity to the left. As it passed through 

 the left lower lobe it rapidly diminished in calibre till it ended at 

 the upper border of the lobe as a fine thread. 



The vessel had, therefore, two curves with their convexities 

 to the left — a wide one in the abdomen, and a narrow one 

 within the lung. 



When the roots of the lungs were dissected, it was seen that 

 the right one received two bronchial arteiies from the thoracic 

 aorta, but the left one received none at all. Consequently, the 

 coeliac artery must be regarded as a nutrient vessel to the 

 pulmonary tissue. It is evident, however, that it does not supply 

 all the linig for it is confined to the inner part of the left lower 

 lobe (see text-figure), and the branches which it gives off are very 

 small. I was unable to detect nutrient vessels to the upper lobe 

 and the outer part of the lower lobe of the left lung. There was 

 no trace of an anastomosis between the cceliac and oeso23hageal 

 arteries wdiich frequently make an arterial network on tlie 

 surface of the lung. 



Branches : — The cceliac artery gave ofi' branches in the abdo- 

 men and thorax, as follows : — 



1. Pancreatic artery which soon divided into two small twigs. 



2. Splenic artery. 



