<p>The discovery of the lymphatic system occurred later than the other vascular systems. Early studies only observed lymphatics of the viscera in mammals. Lymphatics of the head and neck were not revealed until the mercury injection technique was introduced, which detailed in books of Mascagni (1787) and Sappey (1874) that were largely referred by later literatures. However, the knowledge does not match or explain some of the unexpected clinical findings. This paper reviews the current investigative approaches through the historical perspective for clinical management and scientific researches in this region.</p>
