THE ABDOAfEN 



715 



half of the anterior abdominal wall and the left lateral wall, whence 



it passes on to the front of the left kidney at the upper part, close 

 to the external border. From this point it passes to the right over 

 the posterior wall ot the abdomen, covering the aorta and inferior 

 vena cava, and so it arrives at a point behind the foramen of 

 Winslow. Between the left kidney and the hilum of the spleen the 

 peritoneum forms the lieno-renal ligament, and between the gastric 

 surface of the spleen, just in front of the hilum, and the posterior 

 aspect of the cardiac end of the stomach it forms the gastro-splenic 

 omentum. The two layers of this omentum, having separated, 

 enclose the stomach. They then meet at the small curvature to 

 form the gastro-hepatic omentum, the layers of which, when followed 

 to the right, arrive at the front of the foramen of Winslow. 



Small Intestine 



Abdominal Aorta 



, The Mesentery 



, Parietal Peritoneum 



, Inferior Vena Cava 



Descending Colon / Ascending Colon 



Section of Lumbar Vertebra 



Fig. 306. — Diagram of the Peritoneum at the Level of the 

 Umbilicus (Transverse Section). 



Below the Transverse Colon, or at the Level of the Umbilicus. — 

 Commencing at the middle line and passing to the right, the peri- 

 toneum covers the right half of the anterior abdominal wall and 

 the right lateral wall as far as the lumbar region. It then covers 

 the right side, anterior surface, and left side of the ascending colon, 

 whence it passes over the front of the right kidney at its lower 

 and inner part. Thereafter it is reflected over the inferior vena 

 cava, and, meeting with the superior mesenteric vessels, it is carried 

 off by them to the jejunum and ileum, both of which it invests. 

 It is then conducted back again to the vertebral column by the 

 superior mesenteric vessels, thus forming the mesentery proper. 

 It next passes to the left over the aorta, and, having partially covered 

 the front of the left kidney at its lower and inner part,' it meets 

 with the descending colon in the left lumbar region, which it covers 

 on the right side, anterior surface, and left side. Thereafter it is 



