Most or all of the lymphatic vessels of the body finally unite into two
trunks before entering the veins. The largest trunk is the =thoracic
duct= (Fig. 118, 5, page 282), which collects the lymph from the entire
caudal half of the body, and from the left forelimb and the left side of
the thorax, head, and neck. It passes along the dorsosinistral side of
the thoracic aorta, lying against its surface, and enters the left
external jugular vein at its junction with the subclavian. The second
main trunk is the =right lymphatic duct=; this collects the lymph from
the right side of the thorax, the right forelimb, and the right side of
the neck and head; it enters the right external jugular.
1. =Lymphatics of the Head.=--A number of lymphatic vessels arise on the
sides of the face, especially in the upper and lower lips. They form a
superficial network of vessels, lying over the ventral half of the
masseter muscle and an area ventrad of it. These lymphatic vessels all
enter two large lymphatic glands (Fig. 131, 12, page 322) lying at the
ventrocaudal angle of the masseter muscle, covering the union of the
anterior and posterior facial veins. Into these glands pass also a
number of lymph vessels from the back of the head. From these two
lymphatic glands two or three small lymphatic vessels pass caudad, lying
on the surface of the external jugular vein. Near the point of the
shoulder, some distance craniad of the junction of the external and
internal jugular veins, these vessels enter another small lymphatic
gland lying on the dorsal surface of the external jugular vein. Thence
one or two vessels continue caudad, still on the surface of the external
jugular, and finally unite with the deep lymphatics of the head and neck
and those of the arm to enter the caudal end of the external jugular
vein, usually (on the left side) after junction with the =thoracic
duct=, from the thorax.
The deep lymphatics of the head come from the internal parts of the
head,--tongue, pharynx, etc., and enter a large lymphatic gland situated
close to the caudoventral surface of the tympanic bulla, at the side of
the pharynx. Thence a large lymphatic trunk passes caudad at the side of
the trachea, along with the common carotid artery and internal jugular
vein, unites with the superficial vessels from the head, above
described, joins (on the left side) the thoracic duct, and enters the
external jugular vein.
2. =Lymphatics of the Neck.=--Two or three lymph-glands are found in the
fatty mass in the neck beneath the clavotrapezius and levator scapulæ
ventralis muscles. These receive lymphatics from the neck and side of
the thorax. The vessels which arise from them join those from the head
and arm to enter the external jugular vein.
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