EELATIONS OF THE PANCREAS. 



33[ 



Clendenning-. is usually from 2j oz. to oh oz. ; but Meckel has noted it as high as 

 G oz., and Soemmerruig as low as li oz. 



The anterior surfece of the pancreas is covered with the posterior 

 wall of the sac of the omentum, and is concealed by the stomach, which 



Fig. 2S2. 



Fig. 282. — View of the Pancreas and surrounding Organs. l-5th. 



In this figure, wliicli is altered from Tiedemann, the liver and stomach are turned 

 upwards to show the duodenum, the pancreas, and the spleen : I, the under surface of 

 the liver ; //, gall-bladder ; /, the common bile duct, formed by the union of the cj'stic 

 duct from the galhbladder, and the hepatic duct coming from the liver ; o, the cardiac 

 end of the stomach, where the cesophagus enters ; s, under surface of the stomach ; p, 

 pyloric end of the stomach ; d, duodenum ; /;, head of the pancreas ; t, tail, and /, body 

 of that gland ; the substance of the pancreas is removed in front, to show the iiancreatic 

 duct {e) and its brandies ; r, the spleen ; v, the hilus, at which the blood-vessels enter ; 

 c, c, crura of the diaphragm ; n, superior mesenteric artery ; a, aorta. 



glides upon it. The posterior surface is attached by areolar tissue to 

 the Tena cava, the aorta, the superior mesenteric artery and vein, the 

 commencement of tlie vena porta?, and the pillars of the diaphragm (c, r), 

 all of which parts, besides many lymphatic A'essels and glands, are inter- 

 posed between it and the upper lumbar vertebrae : to the left of the 

 vertebral column it is attached similarly to the left suprarenal capsule 

 and kidney and to the renal vessels. Of the large vessels situated 

 behind the pancreas, the superior mesenteric artery (;?) and vein are 

 embraced by the substance of the gland, the lower extremity of the head 

 curving somewhat behind them,* so as sometimes to enclose these vessels 

 in a complete canal, through which they pass downwards and forwards, 

 and then emerge from beneath the lower border of the pancreas, between 

 it and the termination of the duodenum. The coeliac axis is above the 

 pancreas ; and in a groove along the upper border of the gland are 

 placed the splenic artery and vein, the vein pursuing a straight, and 

 the artery a tortuous course, and both supplying numerous branches to 

 the pancreas, the narrow extremity of which is thus attached to the 

 inner surface of the spleen (r). The head of the pancreas, embraced by 



* This part of the gland is sometimes marked off from the rest, and is then named the 

 lesser pancreas. 



