SOME POINTS IN THE ANATOMY OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 65 



around the inferior border of the head. (3) The inferior pancreatic 

 branch of the superior mesenteric (or sometimes of the gastro- 

 duodenal) artery, is a considerable branch which arises along with 

 or near the last ; it runs along the lower border of the pancreas, 

 often even as far as its tail. (4) The j^ccncreatic branches of the 

 splenic, three to five in number, are fair-sized branches which 

 enter the pancreas immediately, and traverse its substance 

 from above downward. (5) '^vndAl pancreatic branches also arise 

 from the hepatic, whilst it rests on the upper part of the gland, 

 which they enter immediately. The pancreatica magna, which 

 is described as accompanying the duct, does not seem to exist ; 

 at least, I have often sought, but never found it. 



The veins are (1) an anterior (or inferior) pancreatico-duodenal 

 which passes down and to the left on the front of the head, 

 and joins the superior mesenteric ; (2) a posterior pancreatico- 

 duodenal, which crosses the back of the head and opens into 

 the portal ; (3) several small pancreatic veins which join the 

 splenic. 



Peritoneum. 



Professor Waldeyer has described under the name of para- 

 vesical fossa a depression seen at each side of the empty bladder. 

 This depression, which is crossed by a fold of peritoneum — 

 plica vesicalis transversa — is obliterated by distension of the 

 bladder, and disappears as a fossa. My hardened specimens agree 

 pretty closely with Waldeyer's description of the paravesical 

 fossa, and the same remark applies to his fossa obturatoria, but 

 I do not think that he has completely disposed of the portion of 

 the peritoneum which lies behind the line of the ureter. As, 

 however, I hope to return to this subject in a future 

 communication, I shall only refer to a very distinct fossa seen 

 on the posterior wall of the pelvis, at each side of the empty 

 rectum, which I have described as the para-rectal fossa. It 

 corresponds exactly in its characters to the para-vesical fossa, 

 and, like it, it disappears when the rectum is distended. I 

 have already referred to it in connection with the rectum. 



The arrangement of the mesentery has already been described 

 under the heading of small intestine, and the left lateral liga- 



VOL. XXXV. (N.S. vol. XV.) — OCT. 1900. E 



