Bartholinus anatomy made from the precepts of his father, and from the observations of all modern anatomists, together with his own ... / published by Nich. Culpeper and Abdiah Cole.

Chap. V. Of the ascend∣ing Trunk of Vena Cava, especially of the Vena sine pari.

VEna Cava called also Vena magna* 1.1 and maxima, the great vein and the greatest vein, by the Ancients, be∣cause of its exceeding largness, and by Aurelianus, Venae crassa the thick Vein, is the largest Vein in our whole Bo∣dy, and the Mother of all other Veins which do not pro∣ceed from the Vena Portae; coming out of the bunch∣ing or convex side of the Liver, and therefore by Hippo∣crates termed the Liver vein, have∣ing spread many Veins through the* 1.2 upper part of the Liver, which about the top are collected into one Trunk it is presently divided into the upper or ascendent, and the lower and descendent Trunks.

The Ascendent Trunk peirces the Mid∣rif,* 1.3 is spread about through the Chest, Neck, Head and Arms. Now it is car∣ried undivided, as far as to the Jugulum. Mean while four branches arise there from.

1 Phreni••••s or the Midrif vein, on* 1.4 each side one, whence also branches are sent to the Pericardium and Medi∣astinum. That Quittor in such as have the Empyema, is carried by this Vein to

the Kidnies and Bladder M. A. Severinus ingeniously proves, because 1. The quittor must needs rest at the bottom of the Midriff. 2. By the motion of the Septum it is easily made thin. 3. By the same motion the mouths of the vessels are opened. which may more truly be said of the Arteries, which carry Blood to the Kidnies by their emulgent Branches, and with the Blood sundry excre∣ments, as quittor, Serum &c.

Afterwards the Vena cavae ascends by the Septum, and boring its passage through the Pericardium, it goes a lit∣tle towards the left hand, and infinuates it self into the right Ventricle of the Heart, with a large hole, where it is joyned on all sides to the left Ear-let: and there is made,

2 The Vena Coronaria, which is somtimes double, compassing the Basis of the Heart, at the Rise whereof a little Valve is placed, not suffering the Blood to re∣turn into the Trunk. For it is joyned with a continued passage to the Artery, that it may therefrom receive blood, which is to return to the Cavae.

Afterwards the ascendent Trunk does at last, bore its way through the Pericardium, and taking the former shape, it had under the Heart, but smaller, thorugh the middle division of the Lungs (no more upon the Verte∣bra's of the Chest, where now the Gullet and Wesand rest) it ascends to the Jugulum. Mean while there is bred

3. A remarkable Vein above the Heart called Ayzgos, sine pari, the Vein without a fellow, because in a Man and a Dog, it is commonly but one, quartering on the one side, without another on the other side. But there are two in some Creatures which chew the cud, as Goats, and in Swine &c. And in the Body of Man I have often seen two, once I found none at all, instead whereof on each side there descended a Branch from the Vena Subclavia.

It arises from the hinder part of the Cava but more to∣wards the right hand, and descends through the right Cavity of the Chest: but in Sheep contrariwise, it arises from the left side of the Cavae, and descends through the left. In a Man after its Beginning, which is between the fourth and fist Vertebra of the Chest, it bends a little back towards the right side and outwardly, unto the eighth or ninth Vertebra of the Chest; where it begins to possess the very middle space. Howbeit, I have observed it presently after its rise, to descend right forward, above the middle of the Back-bone, and to send out branches on each side.

This Truncus sine pari, for the space of eight lower Ribs, sends out on each hand Intercostal branches, which are somtimes here and there joyned by way of Anastomosis, with the branches of the* 1.5 Thoracica inferior which arises from the Basilica, and with the Intercostal Arte∣ries. And therefore a Vein is not alwaies* 1.6 to be opened in a Pleurisie of the right side, as Vesalius would have it.

Neer the Eighth Rib, it is divided into two Branches.

The one being somtimes the greater, ascends under the Diaphragma to the left side, and is inserted somtimes in∣to the Cavae above or beneath the Emulgents, somtimes into the Emulgent it self. This way, ac∣cording to the vulgar Doctrine, pleuritick* 1.7 persous, are many times critically purged by Urine, and void out that way abun∣dance of Quittor: which matter may more truly be said to be purged out by the emulgent Arteries, by mediation of the Heart.

The other on the right hand, goes to the Cavae and is joyned thereto, seldom to the Emulgent, somtimes bove, the Emulgent. Often times it is implanted into the last somtimes into the first lumbal Ves∣sel; for which cause, in the begin∣ning* 1.8 of a Pleurisie, the Ham-vein may be opened, to draw away the Blood, which would otherwise ascend out of the Arteries and small Veins, into this Vein.

And whereas Hollerius and Amatus dream that this Vein hath Valves in its* 1.9 Beginning, it is false. and therefore false it is, that the Cavae being evacuated, the Ve∣na sine pari is not evacuated, because the Regurgitation is hindred by the Valves. Fallopius denies them, because he saw both Wind and Blood regurgitate from thence.

4. The Intercostalis superior, on each side one, which is sent to the Intervals of the four upper Ribs, when the A∣zygos hath not sent branches to all the Intervals of the Ribs.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Vena Ca∣va what?
• * 1.2

  Its division into great Trunks.
• * 1.3

  The ascendent Trunk what?
• * 1.4

  The Vein of the Midrif pericar∣dium and medi∣astinum.
• * 1.5

  Anastomosis.
• * 1.6

  The Error of Vesalius.
• * 1.7

  How pleuri∣tick persons are purged by Urine.
• * 1.8

  Why the Ham-vein is profitably opened in a Pleurisie.
• * 1.9

  The Error of Amatus Lu∣sitanus and Hollerius touching Valves.