ORGANS OF DIGESTION. 135 



embryo, while in the adult the liver destroys these 

 corpuscles. The chief function of this organ, however, 

 is the formation of glycogen from the sugars and starches 

 eaten and the gradual transformation of this glycogen 

 into sugar as demanded for the nutrition of the body. 

 Diabetes mellitus is caused by a diseased liver which 

 permits sugar to accumulate in the blood. 



The pancreas (Fig. 58) is an elongated gland bent at 

 a right angle near its middle. The body of it lies dorsal 

 to the pyloric portion of the stomach, and the head lies 

 close along the concavity of the duodenum. It has two 

 ducts, one of which enters the duodenum in common 

 with the ductus communis choledochus, while the other 

 enters about three centimeters further caudad. The 

 pancreatic juice acts on the starches, proteids, and fats. 



THE PERITONEUM. 



The peritoneum (Fig. 59) is the serous sac lining the 

 abdominal cavity and investing most of the organs 

 therein contained. The four portions of the peritoneum 

 are known as the omenta, the mesenteries, parietes, and 

 ligaments. The omenta are three in number, the largest 

 of which is the great or gastrocolic omentum, stretching 

 caudad from the dorsal abdominal wall and the greater 

 curvature of the stomach, so as to cover the intestine 

 like an apron. It is composed of four layers of peri- 

 toneum forming a closed sac, and bearing more or less 

 fat. Two layers form the ventral wall of the sac attached 

 to the stomach, and two layers are also present in the 

 dorsal wall of the sac which invests the pancreas. 



The lesser omentum, or gastrohepatic omentum, ex- 

 tends caudad from the liver to the pyloric part of the 

 stomach and duodenum. Its two folds extend from the 



