224 ANATOMY OF THE RABBIT 



5. Divide the remaining portion of the abdominal wall on the left 

 side, and its whole thickness on the right, by transverse and 

 longitudinal incisions corresponding with those first made 

 through the skin, so that the abdominal viscera are fully exposed. 

 Note on the internal surface of the wall the smooth serous 

 investment here forming the parietal peritoneum (peritonaeum 

 parietale). 



III. THE STOMACH AND SPLEEN 



The cavity disclosed by the division of the abdominal wall is 

 the peritoneal cavity (cavum peritonaei), the largest of the four 

 great serous sacs representing the primary body-cavity or coelom 

 (p. 135). The major portion of , the cavity is abdominal, i.e. it lies 

 between the diaphragm in front and the margin of the bony pelvic 

 girdle behind, but it extends into the pelvis, the portion of the 

 body enclosed by the skeletal ring of that name, and, in the male, 

 also into the scrotal sacs. Its lining membrane is that appearing 

 on the body-wall as the parietal peritoneum, noted above, and on 

 the visceral structures as the visceral peritoneum (peritonaeum 

 viscerale). The visceral structures here include the major portions 

 of the digestive and urinogential systems. 



The general relations of the visceral peritoneum should first be 

 examined by raising a portion of the small intestine from the left 

 side of the visceral mass. Note its enclosure by a complete serous 

 coat (the visceral peritoneum), similar in appearance to the mem- 

 brane covering the body-wall, and the extension of this coat into a 

 mesentery for the attachment of the structure to the dorsal body- 

 wall. Note the parallel arrangement of the arteries and veins, and 

 also their frequent anastomoses. Lymphatic vessels (lacteal 

 vessels) accompany the blood-vessels in the mesentery but, being 

 transparent, are not readily recognizable. Lymph nodes also occur, 

 but in this portion of the mesentery they are aggregated near its 

 dorsal attachment or root (radix mesenterii). 



For the general relations of the stomach see p. 100. 



1. Displace the posteroventral portion of the liver forward, ex- 

 posing in this way the ventral surface of the stomach. Without 

 injuring the enclosing peritoneum, move the organ about 



