176 
DR. LEE’S FURTHER ACCOUNT OF 
ureter to enter the middle vesical ganglion, and others pass on the inner surface of 
the ureter to the anterior part of the neck of the uterus. 
From the superior and anterior part of the left hypogastric ganglion, a plexus of 
nerves accompanied by an injected tortuous artery, proceeds upward along the whole 
body of the uterus, near the left side, to the trunk of the left spermatic vein, and 
there terminates in a dense, reddish brown coloured mass, consisting of fibres firmly 
interlaced together, and which has all the characters of a true nervous ganglion. 
From its vicinity to the principal spermatic artery and vein which it partly surrounds, 
and the ligament of the ovary, it may be called the left spermatic ganglion. Between 
this ganglion and the left hypogastric ganglion, an artery extends which is closely 
embraced by a plexus of nerves, and a direct nervous communication is thus esta- 
blished between these remote ganglia. The nerves adhered so firmly to the artery 
through its whole course, that before they were separated they presented the appear- 
ance of two white lines on its sides, with filaments crossing over the vessel. From 
these nerves extending between the left hypogastric and spermatic ganglion, branches 
with arteries are given off in their whole course to the subperitoneal ganglia and 
plexuses on the posterior surface of the uterus, and also branches to the plexuses on 
the anterior surface. On approaching the spermatic ganglion, these nerves with 
their artery pass under or between the branches of the left subperitoneal plexuses 
and frequently communicate with them by fine nervous filaments. The artery can 
be readily traced through the substance of the spermatic ganglion, but the nerves 
which accompany it from the hypogastric ganglion, immediately disappear on enter- 
ing the mass. Numerous large branches of nerves from the left subperitoneal plexus 
likewise terminate in the left spermatic ganglion, but some of them pass under it, 
and proceed to the round ligament ; and others are continued upward, gradually 
diminishing in size as they approach the renal plexus along the spermatic blood- 
vessels. From the upper border of this ganglion, large flat nerves proceed to ramify 
on the fundus uteri, and pass with the vessels into the muscular coat. The trunk of 
the spermatic vein and artery is almost completely surrounded with this ganglion, 
as the trunks of the uterine, and vaginal arteries and veins are inclosed within rings 
of nerve connected with the hypogastric ganglion. 
In this dissection there are nervous structures displayed on the anterior and pos- 
terior surfaces of the uterus of still greater magnitude. These, from their situation, 
may be called the subperitoneal ganglia and plexuses of the uterus. 
Over the middle of the lower part of the body of the uterus behind, immediatelv 
beneath the peritoneum, is situated the posterior subperitoneal ganglion, which is 
considerably larger than the left hypogastric ganglion. It presents the appearance 
of a layer of dense structure composed of fibres strongly interlaced together, having 
a yellowish brown colour. It adheres firmly to the peritoneum, but between its 
lower surface and the muscular coat of the uterus, there is interposed a thick soft 
layer of cellular substance, through which filaments of nerves and branches of con- 
