THE SUPRA-RENAL CAPSULES. 587 



sharp, and marked by several notches. The spleen is in relation by its 

 external or convex surface with the diaphragm, which separates it 

 from the ninth, tenth, and eleventh ribs, by its concave surface with 

 the great end of the stomach, the extremity of the pancreas, the 

 gastro- splenic omentum with its vessels, the left kidney and supra- 

 renal capsule, and the left crus of the diaphragm ; by its upper end 

 with the diaphragm, and sometimes with the extremity of the left lobe 

 of the liver, and by its lower end with the left extremity of the trans- 

 verse arch of the colon. It is connected to the stomach by the gastro- 

 splenic omentum and by the vessels contained in that duplicature. A 

 second spleen (lien succenturiatus) is sometimes found appended to 

 one of the branches of the splenic artery, near the great end of the 

 stomach ; when it exists, it is round and of small size, rarely larger than 

 a hazel-nut. I have seen two, and even three of these bodies. The 

 spleen is invested by the peritoneum and by a tunica propria of yellow 

 elastic tissue, which enables it to yield to the greater or less distension 

 of its vessels. The elastic tunic forms sheaths for the vessels in their 

 ramifications through the organ, and from these sheaths small fibrous 

 bands are given off in all directions, which become attached to the in- 

 ternal surface of the elastic tunic, and constitute the areolar framework 

 of the spleen. The substance occupying the interspaces of this tissue 

 is soft, granular, and of a bright red colour ; in animals it is interspers- 

 ed with small, white, soft corpuscles, (Malpighian bodies) which are 

 sometimes seen in man. 



Vessels and Nerves. The Splenic artery is of very large size in pro- 

 portion to the bulk of the spleen ; it is a division of the coeliac axis. 

 The branches which enter the spleen are distributed to distinct sections 

 of the organ, and anastomose very sparingly with each other. The 

 veins by their numerous dilatations constitute the principal part of the 

 bulk of the spleen ; they pour their blood into the splenic vein, which 

 is one of the two great formative trunks of the portal vein. The lym- 

 phatics are remarkable for their number and large size ; they terminate 

 in the lumbar glands. The nerves are the splenic plexus, derived 

 from the solar plexus. 



THE SUPRA-RENAL CAPSULES. 



The supra-renal capsules are two small yellowish and flattened 

 bodies surmounting the kidneys, and inclining inwards towards the 

 vertebral column. The right is somewhat three-cornered in shape, 

 the left semilunar ; they are connected to the kidneys by the common 

 investing areolar tissue, and each capsule is marked upon its anterior 

 surface by a fissure which appears to divide it into two lobes. The 

 right supra-renal capsule is closely adherent to the posterior and under 

 surface of the liver, and the left lies in contact with the pancreas. 

 Both capsules rest upon the crura of the diaphragm on a level with 

 the tenth dorsal vertebra, and by their inner border are in relation 

 with the great splanchnic nerve, and semilunar ganglion. They are 



