ABDOMINAL VISCERA IN MAN. 285 



of the splenic loop upwards was 2-9 cm. above E.F. at a distance 

 of 10 cm. from the middle line. The lowest point of the spleen 

 averaged 25 cm. below E.F., and this in a general way may be 

 said to mark the level of the commencement of the descendino- 

 colon, so that the splenic loop upwards of the transverse colon 

 passed 5-4 cm. higher than the lowest point of the spleen. If, 

 however, the cases in which the splenic flexure of the colon was 

 prolapsed be excluded, the average position of the highest point 

 of the splenic loop would be rather more than 1 cm. higher. 



Variations. — There were 24 cases, or 60 per cent., in which the 

 highest point of the hepatic flexure of the colon ranged from 

 the level of E.F. to 4 cm. below. There were 4 cases in which 

 it was 2 cm. more above E.F., viz., cases 5, 25, 31, 37. 



There were 9 cases in which it was more than 4 cm. below 

 E.F., up to 8-5 cm. below in case 24. (These cases were chiefly 

 associated with prolapse of the transverse colon, and will be 

 considered with directly.) 



There were 10 cases in which the upper border of the trans- 

 verse colon in the middle line was situated above the level of 

 E.F., four of them being not more than 2*5 cm. away. The other 

 cases (No8. 1, 8, 25, 31, 35, and 40) varied considerably up to 9 

 cm. above E.F. Those cases in which the transverse colon 

 found room for itself in the upper part of the abdominal cavity 

 in front of the stomach have already been considered — Part 11. 

 They were cases 1, 6, 8, 12, 25, 31, 35, 37, and 40. 



Prolapse of the Transverse Colon. — There were 14 cases in 

 which the upper border of the transverse colon was more than 

 5 cm. below E.F. in the middle line, seven of them ranging from 

 10 to 15-25 cm. below; viz., cases 2, 7, 15, 30, 32, 36, and 38. 



The upper border of the transverse colon in the middle line 

 ranged from 9 cm. at one E.F. to 15*25 cm. below, so that it must 

 be considered a very variable point, and the average cannot 

 be taken for much. There were, however, 20 cases, or 50 p.c, 

 in which the line E.F. would have hit off sufficiently same part 

 of the lumen of the transverse colon in the middle line. 



There were 6 cases in which the transverse colon passed 

 across the abdomen wholly below the umbilicus ; viz., cases 2, 7, 

 15, 30, 32, and 36. In 5 others the umbilicus was situated 

 nearer the upper than the lower border of the bowel. So that 



