THE BRADSHAW LECTURE 47 



tends, more than any other form of rupture, to 

 disappear with increasing age. The recession of 

 the liver from the level of the umbilicus to a 

 position beneath the ribs and the pull of the 

 round ligament upon the umbilicus have, no 

 doubt, much to do with the cure ; but I think it 

 must be admitted that the relief from direct down- 

 ward pressure which the erect posture assures 

 has a potent influence in assisting the natural cure. 



When we consider the various displacements 

 and defects directly favoured by, and in many 

 instances definitely due to, the erect position, we 

 shall find that there is a long list to be enumer- 

 ated. Among the solid viscera : (1) The dropping 

 of the kidneys from their beds, at one time thought 

 to be rare, but now known to be very common, is 

 a condition largely due to the erect position. 

 (2) The spleen, too, occasionally drags away from 

 its anchors, and I have myself seen it occupy 

 Douglas's pouch. (3) The uterus suffers in many 

 ways : before impregnation from flexions and 

 versions, and after childbirth from prolapse in 

 addition to the other displacements. 



The hollow viscera also tend to be displaced 

 by the erect position. The transverse colon, over- 

 loaded with faecal matter, is liable to drop down 

 from its position along the margin of the ribs and 



