574 



THE LIVER. 



THE liver is a conglomerate gland of large size, appended to the 

 alimentary canal, and performing the double office of separating im- 

 purities from the venous blood of the chylo-poietic viscera previously 

 to its return into the general venous circulation, and of secreting a 

 fluid necessary to chylification, the bile. It is the largest organ in 

 the body, weighing about four pounds, and measuring through its 

 longest diameter about twelve inches. It is situated in the right hy- 



Fig. 170.* 



pochondriac region, and extends across the epigastrium into the left 

 hypochondriac, frequently reaching by its left extremity to the upper 

 end of the spleen. It is placed obliquely in the abdomen ; its convex 

 surface looking upwards and forwards, and the concave downwards 

 and backwards. The anterior border is sharp and free and marked by 

 a deep notch, and the posterior rounded and broad. It is in relation, 

 superiorly and posteriorly with the diaphragm, and inferiorly with the 

 stomach, ascending portion of the duodenum, transverse colon, right 

 supra-renal capsule and right kidney, and corresponds by its free 

 border with the lower margin of the ribs. 



Ligaments. The liver is retained in its place by five ligaments ; 

 four of which are formed by duplicatures of the peritoneum, and are 



* The upper surface of the liver. 1. The right lobe. 2. The left lobe. 3. 

 The anterior or free border. 4. The posterior or rounded border. 5. The 

 broad ligament. 6. The round ligament. 7, 7. The two lateral ligaments. 

 8. The space left uncovered by the peritoneum, and surrounded by the coro- 

 nary ligament. Q. The inferior vena cava. 10. The point of the lobus Spi- 

 gelii. 3. The fundus of the gall-bladder seen projecting beyond the anterior 

 border of the right lobe. 



