466 mk. youatt’s veterinary lectures. 
This Nerve given especially to the Arteries. —But now appears 
a new feature in nervous ramifications. We have seen anasto¬ 
moses between different nerves, or branches of the same nerve ; 
we have seen the nerves ramify upon and lose themselves in the 
substance of muscles; but the fibriculi of this nerve are prin¬ 
cipally distributed over the arteries. We see it here beautifully. 
When they reach the arteries, they form plexuses, net-works, 
and, combining with some interposed cellular substance, perfect 
nervous tunics around the vessels. The substance of the nerve 
is pulpy—its neurilema or sheath is delicate—there is a kind of 
transparency about it; and, therefore, although these nerves are 
visible enough on the larger vessels, and can be traced even on 
the smaller, we at length lose them, not because they cease to 
exist, but because, from their peculiar structure, we are no longer 
able to follow them. We have hitherto had nerves spreading 
over certain membranes, and devoted to peculiar sensation ; or 
ramifying over the locomotive portion of the frame generally, 
and connected with common sensation; or over muscles, and 
connected with motion, voluntary or involuntary : but here is a 
nerve identifying itself, indeed, with every other, but peculiarly 
the nerve of the bloodvessels, covering them as with a tunic, and 
connected in some mysterious way with their action. This is a 
singular circumstance, and to which I shall recall your attention 
by-and-by. 
Connected with all the main Arteries .—It is found at its com¬ 
mencement thus encircling the internal carotid, and can be 
traced, for a certain distance, on all its branches. It covers in 
the same manner the beginning of the external carotid, and can 
be followed over the main arteries of the neck, and the face, and 
the glands. 
Course dozen the Neck. —The ganglion grows smaller, and ends 
in a nervous chord. The great organic I have ventured to call it, 
and the reason for which wall presently be more apparent. It 
now unites itself with the cerebro-visceral, and passes down the 
neck in the same sheath with it, and lying; between the carotid 
and the cerebro-visceral, and therefore, for any experiment, 
clearly distinguishable by this peculiarity of situation, by its 
being the smaller nerve of the two, and of a redder hue, and a 
more pulpy substance. As it pursues its course, there are fre¬ 
quent anastomoses between these nerves, and also very small 
filaments from the lower cervical nerves. When we reach the 
base of the neck, it communicates with the recurrent nerve. 
It enters the Thorax —As it approaches the thorax, and when 
entering into it, its net-work investing connexion with the arte¬ 
ries becomes again more evident; it may be seen surrounding 
