The lymphatics of the stomach chiefly accompany the bloodvessels. Those associated with the vasa brevia and with the left gastro epiploic vessels, having passed through their glands unite with the lymphatics from the spleen. Those accompanying the right gastro epiploic vessels having traversed their glands communicate behind the pyloric extremity of the stomach and at the commencement of the duodenum, with the lacteals, and with the lymphatics from the liver. At the upper cur vature of the stomach, the lymphatics take their course from the cardiac to the pyloric orifice accompanying the branches of the coronaria ventriculi arteries, they pass through the glands there situated, and join the lymphatics descend ing from the liver in the capsule of Glisson.
The lymphatics of the pancreas near the head of the organ communicate with the lacteal vessels from the duodenum ; the rest empty themselves into the lymphatics coming from the spleen.
At the hilum of the spleen the deep-seated lymphatics which have accompanied the blood vessels in the substance of the organ are joined by the superficial vessels. The principal branches having in their course received lym phatics from the stomach and pancreas, and having traversed the splenic glands, accompany the trunks of the splenic artery and vein, and unite with the lymphatics of the liver in their course to the thoracic duct.
The deep-seated lymphatics of the liver accompany the ramifications of the portal vessels throughout the substance of the organ; they emerge with the hepatic ducts at the transverse fissure of the liver, where they are joined by the lymphatics of the gall-bladder and by the superficial lymphatics from the under surface of the liver. They pass through the glands situated in the capsuleof Glisson, receive free communications front' the splenic and gastric lymphatics, and ultimately termi nate in the thoracic duct either separately or in conjunction with the lacteal trunks.
The superficial lymphatics of the upper surface of the liver form three or four fasciculi, which enter the thorax without joining the trunks of the deep-seated vessels. One set streams from the upper surface of the right, another from that of the left lobe to gain the suspensory ligament of the liver, between the folds of which the larger branches, six or eight in number, pass upwards and enter the thorax between the attachment of the diaphragm and the ensiform cartilage to gain the anterior mediastinum, where they join the large lym phatic vessels accompanying the arteri mam marite interim. From the right and left lobes
in the neighbourhood of the lateral ligaments, and chiefly, though not entirely, from the upper surface of the organ, two other streams of superficial lymphatics tend towards the lateral ligaments, between the layers of which the principal branches pass. They perforate the diaphragm to gain its upper surface, some of them passing backwards to reach the thoracic duct in the posterior mediastinum, while others form a large vessel which creeps upon the thoracic surface of the' diaphragm under the pleura and near the margin of the ribs, to gain the anterior mediastiniim, where on each side it unites and terminates with those vessels which have arrived at the same point from between the folds of the suspensory ligament. The lymphatics of the left lateral ligament often, however, pass downwards to the abdo minal cavity, joining the lymphatics of the under surface of the liver or of the cardiac extremity of the stomach.
The thoracic duct receives but four branches during its passage through the thorax ; the lymphatics of the lungs and of the heart, as well as the large branches accompanying the mamma rim interns: vessels, make their exit from the thoracic cavity, to empty themselves into the two lymphatic trunks in the cervical relion. The intercostal lymphatics accompanying the inter costal bloodvessels, traverse the little glands si tuated near the necks of the ribs, take their course to and enter the larger glands in the pos terior mediastinum. These same glands also receive the oesophageal lymphatics, and even some communications from the bronchial glands ; their vasa efferentia, four or five in number, enter the thoracic duct at different levels.
The large lymphatics accompanying the mam marim internre arteries collect their branches from various sources; those from the liver have been already noticed ; some pass through the in tercostal spaces close to the edges of the ster num : some have accompanied the intercostal branches of the mammarire interim vessels; others are received from the thymus gland and pericardium and pleura. The greater part of these vessels pass through the little glands si tuated in the anterior mediastinum before they are received into the principal branches. These latter pass upwards in front of the transverse vein, to empty themselves on the left side into the termination of the thoracic duct; on the right, into the right lymphatic trunk, or they join the large veins separately, close to the en trance of the two trunks of the system.