4I2 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



the dorsal lymph tract. From this ganglion a pair of nerves connects with the 9th 

 segmental sympathetic ganglion on each side. 



The hypogastric ganglion is connected with the lumbo-genital nerve by a fairly 

 extensive nerve plexus, whose components pass through the inguinal vascular plexus, 

 but do not appear to have any relation to it. Nerves to the two great inguinal lymph 

 glands are given off, however, by the plexus. The main elements of the plexus are made 

 up of rami joining the lumbo-genital nerve to the hypogastric ganglion immediately 

 within the foramen of the rectus abdominis muscle. 



THE URINARY SYSTEM 



THE KIDNEYS 

 When the body cavity is opened ventrally and the umbilicus turned aside (Fig. 21) 

 the organs displayed are the right and left kidney, the left lobe of the liver, the ovaries, 

 uteri and their ligaments in the female, and the testes and their suspensory ligaments in 



the male. 



The kidneys are long, roughly oval, lobulated bodies occupying a very large part of 

 each side of the abdominal cavity. The part of the right kidney exposed in ventral view 

 lies somewhat anterior to that of the left and is smaller in extent. The right kidney is 

 overlaid mesally by the coils of the small intestine ; the pressure of the latter causes an 

 indentation (Fig. 21) on the mesal face of the organ, the apex of the indentation lying 

 on a level with the left lobe of the liver. The exposed surface of the kidney is thus some- 

 what crescent-shaped and is bounded by the liver in front, the intestine mesally and the 

 uterine ligaments behind. The ovary lies on the kidney laterally. The visible surface of 

 the kidney presents two planes — one directed meso-ventrally, which is part of the mesal 

 face of the organ, and one lateral which is part of the latero-ventral face of the organ. 

 The exposed surface of the left kidney is larger than that of the right and in its 

 greatest extent is posterior to it. It forms a roughly shoe-shaped area, in contact antero- 

 mesally with the left lobe of the liver and postero-mesally with the coils of the intestine. 

 Posteriorly again the left kidney is bounded by the uterus and its ligaments. In the male 

 the testes and their vasa deferentia overlie the proximal part of the ureter on the right 

 side and the posterior tip of the kidney on the left, the most anterior curve of the vas 

 deferens forming the boundary of the exposed surface of the kidney on that side. The 

 exposed surface of the left kidney, like that of the right, also presents two planes ; but 

 both these planes, unlike those on the other side of the body, are part of one face of the 

 kidney — the latero-ventral. The mesal face is hidden by the intestine. 



The uterine cornua, or the testes and their ligaments in the male, hide the rectum, 

 which lies immediately dorsal to them against the roof of the body cavity, closely 

 invested by the peritoneum. It emerges from the coils of the small intestine close to the 

 left kidney, turns forwards towards the right side and then back into the middle so as to 

 form a U-shaped bend before the commencement of its straight course dorsal to the 

 genital tract (Fig. 22). 



