Mikrokosmographia a description of the body of man. Together vvith the controuersies thereto belonging. Collected and translated out of all the best authors of anatomy, especially out of Gasper Bauhinus and Andreas Laurentius. By Helkiah Crooke Doctor of Physicke, physitian to His Maiestie, and his Highnesse professor in anatomy and chyrurgerie. Published by the Kings Maiesties especiall direction and warrant according to the first integrity, as it was originally written by the author.

CHAP. XXVII. Of the Nerues of the Chest.

THE nerues disseminated through the chest are double as well as those that * 1.1 passe through the necke, for some take their originall from the braine, or rather from the marrow thereof contained in the Scull, others from his marrow passing through the rack-bones of the backe.

From the marrow of the braine proceedeth the sixt coniugation of the braine which runneth through the chest, of which we haue partly spoken before, but will say more afterward in this booke.

From the spinall marrow contained in the rackes of the backe do issue eleuen coniuga∣tions * 1.2 saith Vesalius, but Bauhine reckoneth twelue, all which after their egresse are diui∣ded into two branches, one greater and another lesse, one running forward and another reflected backward.

The first coniugation [Tab. 23, char. 8.] which Vesalius accounteth the eight of the spi∣nall * 1.3 marrow, issueth betwixt the seauenth rack-bone of the neck and the first of the chest on eyther side and is diuided into two branches, one anterior and another posterior.

The anterior which is the greater, after it hath receiued an augmentation [Ta. 23, & 24. ^•] from the seauenth coniugation, somtime also from the second of the chest, & is diuersly commixed with the neighbour sinewes; attaining vnto the arme-pits, distributeth propa∣gations [tab. 24, ^αα] out of his back-side into the hollow part of the blade, and so runneth away into the arme whose distribution we shall meete withall in that place.

Besides this, it sendeth also another branch [tab. 23, ^y] vnto the arme, which running forward along the first ribbe, and so to the top of the brest bone bestoweth his blessing vppon the first muscle of the chest called Subclauius, and then is consumed or spent into the muscles which take their originall from the toppe of the brest-bone, as the muscle cal∣led Mostoides Sternohyoidei and Oesophagaei.

The posterior branch [ta, 24, ^u] which is the lesser, is reflected vnder the muscles which grow vnto the Rack-bones, and in his transition affordeth small shoots to the second mus∣cle of the necke and those that moue the necke and the head backeward; but when it hath

attayned the spine of the seauenth Racke-bone it departeth therefrom and offers surcles ouerthwart to the lower part of the Cowl-muscle, the Rhomboides and the vpper & back∣ward spine.

The second Coniugation [tab, 24, char, 9,] yssueth betwixt the first and second rack * 1.4 of the Chest, and as the former it transmitteth and distributeth a branch backeward [tab 24. β.] Afterward a good part is ioyned with a branch of the first coniugation [tab, 24. ♌] and runneth into the arme. The remaynder proceedeth according to the length of the first rib vnto the Chest and maketh the Intercostall nerue, from which certaine small sur∣cles are distributed vnto the muscles that lye vpon the Chest.

The third and the other nine Coniugations [tab, 23, from char, 10. to char. 20,] of the chest are distributed after the same manner, for after they are issued out of the sides of the * 1.5 Rack-bones, they are deuided into two branches. The anterior branches which are called the Intercost all sinewes [tab, 23, nn] in their passage doe offer a surcle to the Costall nerue, which is sayde to be a branch of the sixt coniugation of the braine, and runneth vnder the * 1.6 Pleura vnto the rootes of the ribs: yea throughout his whole iourney they increase it with a small branch. For the branches themselues runne directly after the bent of the ribbes through the distances betwixt them in a proper sinus or cauity insculped or grauen in the inner and lower side of euery rib for the transportation of these branches, together with a branch of the veine Azygos and the great artery which accompany them; and their course is forward vnder the Pleura neare the Intercostall muscles: so that the Intercostall veines of the true ribbes do reach as farre as to the breast-bone, those of the bastard ribbs do attain vnto the foreside of the abdomen aboue the Peritoneum.

From these, diuers branches [ta, 23, ^θθθ and the characters of the left side] are dissemi∣nated into the Intercostall muscles as well internall as externall, into the muscles that lye vpon the chest, [tab, 23, ^{θθ••χχ}] as the greater and lesser Saw, the Pectorall muscle and that which is called Latissimus, [tab, 23, ^μμ] moreouer into the oblique descendent muscle of the Abdomen; all which branches immitate the fibres of these muscles. They offer also small shootes sprinklingly vnto the skin of the chest.

These Nerues as also the rest, of course should haue beene inserted directly into the heades of the muscles, but nature hath reflected them backeward into the veines, arteries and ligaments of that place. From the lower Intercostall nerues, some shootes also are communicated [tab, 23, ^λλ] to the muscles of the abdomen.

Finally, from that Intercostal Nerue which creepeth through the fourth distance of the ribs are certain propagations [ta. 23, ^ν] disseminated into the Pectoral muscles, from which there yssue some fine and smal shootes vnto the paps and giuing them a very exact sense. And so much for the anterior branches.

The posterior which are the lesser are reflected backward vnto the spines of the rack∣bones, * 1.7 and lurke amongst the muscles that grow vnto them, and are appoynted to moue the Backe and the Chest: yet are they not wholly consumed in these muscles; for when they haue touched the tops of the spines, they fall betweene the congresse or coniunction of the muscles of both sides, and are distributed into the muscles which arise from those heights of the Spines, as those that are called Splenij, Rhombodies, Cucullaris, Latissimus, Ser¦ratus, Posticus inferior; and some are distributed into the skinne. But the distribution of Nerues into the skinne is not one and the same in all bodies, and therefore can neither their order nor their number be certainly defined, for the trunkes are deuided throughout the skin, sometime into more sometime into fewer branches.

To conclude, the two last coniugations of the chest doe offer surcles, Columbus sayth to the fleshy part of the Midriffe: Bauhine [ta, 23, at the sides char. 18, 19] to the head of the muscle called Lumbalis or the sixt muscle of the Thigh.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of the nerues of the chest.
• * 1.2

  Twelue con∣iugations.
• * 1.3

  The first con∣iugation. His diuision.
• * 1.4

  The 2. coniu∣gation.
• * 1.5

  The 3. and the nine fol∣lowing.
• * 1.6

  Their fore branches.
• * 1.7

  Their hinder branches.