ABDOMINAL VISCERA IN MAN. 301 



beneath the pancreas at 2*5 cm. above E.F. to 3*8 cm. from the 

 middle line, and it is usually overlapped at this place by the 

 supra-renal body for 1 cm. 



Speaking roughly, the line E.F. passes transversely between 

 the upper 2/5" and the lower 3/5" of the left kidney, and the 

 lateral line passes vertically between its inner 2/5" and its outer 

 5/5". 



Its lower pole averaged 4*1 cm. above the umbilicus and 3 "3 

 •cm. above the highest point of the iliac crest, and was a little 

 less than half-way between E.F. and CD., whilst that of the 

 right kidney was a little more. 



Variations. — There were 24 cases, or 60 p.c, in which the upper 

 pole varied between 3 cm. and 6 cm., inclusive, above E.F. There 

 were 7 cases in which it was 2 cm. or less above E.F., the lowest 

 ibein^i "5 cm. in cases 2 and 29. There were 8 cases more than 

 •6 cm. above E.F., the highest being 8 cm. in cases 23 and 24. 



The variations in the distance of its outer border from the 

 middle line were not considerable. The average was 9'6 cm., 

 ■and 32 cases were between 8'5 and 10'5 cm. inclusive. 



It would not be expected that the left kidney, firmly im- 

 bedded as it is behind the other viscera at the upper part of the 

 .abdomen, would be exposed sufficiently to the pressure of the 

 •overlying viscera so as to alter its position along with them very 

 •directly, although a general correspondence in the visceral levels 

 would be expected. We have seen that this is so with regard 

 to the spleen, more particularly in an upward direction, and the 

 same holds with regard to the stomach. 



The kidney was lowest down in cases 2, 29, 39, 7, 14, 27, and 

 28, and highest up in cases 23, 24, 21, 4, 34, 3, 16, and 19. 

 "There seems to be no direct correspondence between the position 

 of the lower border of the stomach and the upper pole of the 

 kidney ; for instance, in the last group of cases the stomach was 

 very low down in Nos. 24 and 34, and was lower than usual in 

 some of the other cases. In the first group the stomach was 

 ■often low down, but not uniformly so. 



In fact, as in the case of the right kidney, it seems that, whilst 

 the connective tissues surrounding the left kidney remain firm, 

 it is in a great measure independent of enlargements or displace- 

 ments of the viscera in its neighbourhood. 



