Some of the axons of these cells pass in the connectives to ganglia above and below, while others pass with the splanchnic efferent nerves to the viscera.
| From A. M. Paterson, in Cunningham’s Text-Book of Anatomy. | ||
| Fig. 6.—The Arrangement of the Sympathetic System in the Thorax, Abdomen and Pelvis. | ||
| T.1-12, L.1-5, S.1-5, Co, | ||
| Anterior primary divisions of spinal nerves, connected to the gangliated cord of the sympathetic by rami communicantes, white (double lines) and gray (single lines). | ||
| Oes, | Oesophagus and oesophageal plexus. | |
| Ao, | Aorta and aorta plexus. | |
| Va, | Vagus nerve joining oesophageal plexus. | |
| S.1, | Great splanchnic nerve. | |
| X, | Great splanchnic ganglion. | |
| S.2, | Small splanchnic nerve. | |
| S.3, | Least splanchnic nerve. | |
| Co, | Coronary artery and plexus. | |
| Spl, | Splenic artery and plexus. | |
| H, | Hepatic artery and plexus. | |
| SL, | Semilunar ganglion. | |
| Di, | Diaphragm. | |
| S.R, | Suprarenal capsule. | |
| Re, | Renal artery and plexus. | |
| S.M, | Superior mesenteric artery and plexus. | |
| Sp, | Spermatic artery and plexus. | |
| I.M, | Inferior mesenteric artery and plexus. | |
| Hy, | Hypogastric nerves and plexus. | |
| Rec, | Rectal plexus. | |
| Ut, | Uterine plexus. | |
| Ves, | Vesical plexus. | |
| V.V.V, | Visceral branches from sacral nerves. | |
The above sketch will give the general scheme of the sympathetic system, but its exact topographical details in man must be sought in the modern text-books such as those of Gray, Quain or Cunningham. Here only the larger and more important details can be given. In the gangliated chain there is a ganglion corresponding to nearly each spinal nerve, except in the neck, where only three are found; of these the superior cervical ganglion is more than an inch long, and is connected with the first four spinal nerves as well as with the ninth, tenth and twelfth cranial nerves (see fig. 5, Sy.1). Branches of distribution pass from it to the pharyngeal plexus, the heart and the two carotid arteries. Of these the branch accompanying the internal carotid artery passes to the carotid and cavernous plexuses, and through these communicates with the sphenomaxillary, otic and ciliary ganglia, while the branch to the external carotid communicates with the submaxillary ganglion. The middle cervical ganglion (fig. 5, Sy.2), when it is present, gives rami communicantes to the fifth and sixth cervical nerves, as well as branches of distribution to the thyroid body and heart.
The inferior cervical ganglion (fig. 5, Sy.3) lies behind the subclavian artery, and, besides the main connective cord, has a loop (ansa Vieussenii) joining it to the middle cervical ganglion in front of that vessel. It communicates with the seventh and eighth spinal nerves, and gives branches of distribution to the heart and to the subclavian artery and its branches, especially the vertebral. The thoracic part of the sympathetic cord has usually eleven ganglia, which receive both white and grey rami communicantes from the spinal nerves (fig. 6); of the former the upper ones run up in the chain and come off from the cervical ganglia as already described, while the lower ones form the three abdominal splanchnics which pass through the diaphragm (q.v.) and join the abdominal plexuses.
The great splanchnic (fig. 6, S.1) comes from the sixth to the ninth ganglia, and ends in the semi-lunar ganglion of the solar plexus ing. 6, SL). The small splanchnic (fig. 6, S.2) comes from the ninth and tenth, or tenth and eleventh ganglia, and ends in the aorticorenal ganglion of the solar plexus, while the smallest splanchnic (fig. 6, S.3) comes from the last thoracic ganglion, whether it be the tenth or eleventh, and ends in the renal plexus.
In the lumbar region the gangliated cord is very irregular; there may be four or more ganglia, and these are often fused. Grey rami communicantes are given to all the lumbar spinal nerves, and white ones are received from the first two. Most of the branches of distribution pass to the aortic plexus. The sacral gangliated cord runs down just internal to the anterior sacral foramina; it usually has four small ganglia, and the two cords end by joining the coccygeal ganglion or ganglion impar, though the two-fourth sacral ganglia are united by transverse interfunicular commissures. The white rami communicantes, already mentioned as the pelvic stream, from the second to the fourth sacral spinal nerves, do not enter the ganglia but pass directly to the pelvic plexuses (fig. 6, V).
Sympathetic Plexuses.—In the thorax are the superficial and deep cardiac plexuses and the coronary plexuses; the former receives the left superior cervical cardiac of the vagus, and lies in the concavity of the arch of the aorta. The deep cardiac plexus is larger, and lies in front of the bifurcation of the trachea; it receives all the other cardiac nerves, and communicates with the anterior pulmonary plexuses of the vagus (see Nerves: Cranial). The right and left coronary plexuses accompany the coronary arteries; the former communicates with both the cardiac plexuses, the latter only with the deep cardiac plexus.
In the abdomen the solar plexus is by far the most important. It lies behind the stomach and surrounds the coeliac axis; in it are situated the semilunar, aortico-renal and superior mesenteric ganglia, and from it are prolonged subsidiary plexuses along the main arteries, so that diaphragmatic, suprarenal, renal, spermatic, coeliac, superior mesenteric, aortic and inferior mesenteric plexuses, are recognized. The hypogastric plexus is the continuation downward of the aortic, and lies just below the bifurcation of the aorta (see fig. 6, Hy); it divides into two branches, which accompany- the internal iliac arteries and are joined by the pelvic stream of white rami communicantes from the sacral spinal nerves and some twigs from the ganglia of the sacral sympathetic to form the pelvic plexuses. These are prolonged to the viscera along the branches of the internal iliac artery, so that haemorrhoidal, vesical, prostatic, vaginal and uterine plexuses are found. By the side of the neck of the uterus in the last-named plexus several small ganglia are seen. (For the literature of the sympathetic system, see Quain’s Anatomy, London, 1895.)
Embryology of Nervous System
The development of the brain, spinal cord and organs of special sense (eye, ear, tongue), will be found in separate articles. Here that of the cranial and spinal nerves and the sympathetic system is dealt with. The thoracic spinal nerves are the most typical, and one of them is the best to begin with. In fig. 7, A the ganglion on the dorsal root (DR) is seen growing out from the neural crest, and the cells or neuroblasts of which it is composed become fusiform and grow in two directions as the ganglion recedes from the cord. Those which run toward the spinal cord are the axons, while those growing into the mesoderm are probably enlarged dendrites. The ventral roots (VR) rise as the axons of the large cells in the ventral horn of the grey matter, and meet the fibres of the dorsal root on the distal side of the ganglion (fig. 7, B). As the two roots join each divides into an anterior (ventral) and a posterior (dorsal) primary division (fig. 7, D), the latter growing into the dorsal segment of its muscle plate and the skin of the back. The anterior primary division grows till it reaches the cardinal vein and dorsal limit of the coelom, and there forks into a somatic branch to the body wall (fig. 7, C, So), and a splanchnic or visceral branch (fig. 7, C, Vi) which joins the sympathetic and forms the white ramus communicans. The somatic branch grows round the body wall and gives off lateral and anterior branches (fig. 7, E). In the limb regions the anterior primary divisions of the nerves divide into anterior and posterior secondary divisions, which probably correspond to the anterior and lateral branches of the thoracic nerves (fig. 7, E and F). These unite with neighbouring nerves to form plexuses, and divide again, but the anterior nerves keep to the ventral side of the limb and the posterior to the dorsal.
The cranial nerves are developed in the same way as the spinal, so far as concerns the facts that the motor fibres are the axons of cells situated in the basal lamina of the mesencephalon and
