LIGAMENTS OF LIVER. 113 



then, the liver is not free, but attached, in the anatomical sense 

 of the term. 



The duplicatures of the peritoneum which pass from adja- 

 cent parts to the liver are termed its ligaments. The chief of 

 these is that spoken of above as seen when the diaphragmatic 

 or convex aspect is in view namely, the broad, suspensory, or 

 falciform ligament. It is a doubling of the peritoneal sac in- 

 wards, shooting from a line passing along the nether surface of 

 the diaphragm to the umbilicus, and striking the liver from 

 the shallow notch spoken of above, as seen at its sternal edge 

 along a line on its convex surface to its opposite border. This 

 ligament, arising narrow at the umbilicus, passes broadening 

 and curving to the convex surface of the liver so as to present 

 something of the scythe-like form from which it draws one of 

 its names the falciform ligament. During intrauterine life, 

 the calf derives nourishment from the placenta or after-birth, 

 while the vascular communication between the placenta of the 

 mother and the body of the calf is by two arteries and a vein 

 passing through the umbilicus to the placenta. This umbilical 

 vein, after entering by the umbilicus, goes straight to the liver, 

 through which the chief part of its blood circulates before 

 being distributed to the body of the fostal calf. After the birth 

 of the calf the portion of the umbilical vein between the umbi- 

 licus and the notch in the edge of the convex surface of the 

 liver becomes a fibrous cord throughout life, and constitutes 

 what is called the round ligament of the liver. It extends 

 between the umbilicus and the edge of the liver, coming origi- 

 nally from without. It does not penetrate the peritoneal shut 

 sac which forms the lining of the abdomen, but runs in the 

 free margin of the duplicature of that sac, which forms the 

 falciform or suspensory ligament. It may be remarked how 

 ill the name suspensory applies to it in the ox, correct enough 

 as it is in man, since, in his erect posture, its chief direction is 



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