1748 



HUMAN ANATOMY. 



curvature of the stomach, where it is continuous on the left with the double layer 

 coming from the spleen and on the right with that coming from the inferior sur- 

 face of the first part of the duodenum ; from this broad origin the greater omentum 

 hangs down over the intestines to near the pubes, where it turns upon itself and 

 ascends posteriorly. Often it does not descend so far, but may be folded upon 

 itself to almost any degree and in almost any position. For purposes of description 

 it is supposed to lie spread out smoothly, and to consist of an anterior and a pos- 



FiG. 1474. 



Liver 



Gall-bladder—. 



Ascending colon Ll 



Caecum 



Ensiform cartilage 



Falciform ligament 



tomach 



Xrib 



Omentum 



Descending colon 



Sigmoid flexure 



Undisturbed abdominal viscera of formalin subject ; liver and stomach abnormally large, hence the exaggerated 



apparent transverse position of stomach. 



terior fold (Fig. 1467). The former passes down over the transverse colon, but with- 

 out adhering to it. The peritonevnn on its anterior surface faces forward into the 

 greater peritoneal cavity, while that on its posterior surface looks into the lesser one. 

 On turning backward upon itself, it runs up to the transverse colon. If this were 

 literally true, it is evident that the lesser cavity would extend from behind the stomach 

 over the colon down into this fold (rcccssus inferior omcntalis) of the greater omen- 

 tum, and in fact this is actually the case in the foetus (Fig. 1439) and exceptionally 



