THE LARGE INTESTINE. 



571 



found to be cavities containing mucus and small cells in 

 different stages of development. 



Blood-vessels of Jejunum and Ilium. The arteries come 

 from the superior mesenteric. The veins go to the vena 

 portas. The nerves are from the solar plexus. 



Function. The absorption of chyle by the lacteals, orig- 

 inating in the various villi on the mucous surface of these 

 intestines, seems to be their great duty. These villi becom- 

 ing less and less numerous as we pass from the jejunum, 

 the lacteals, and consequently the absorption of chyle, are 

 found to diminish in like proportion. 



THE LARGE INTESTINE. 



The large intestine is from five to eight feet in length, 

 and forms about one fifth of the intestinal canal. It is 

 divided into the coecum, colon, Fie. 185. 



and rectum. It commences in 

 the right iliac region where 

 the ilium ends, and ascends 

 through the right lumbar, to 

 the right hypochondriac, then 

 crosses the lower border of 

 the epigastric and the upper 

 edge of the umbilical to the 

 left side, into the left hypo- 

 chondriac region, whence it 

 descends through the left 

 lumbar and left iliac regions, 

 ^o terminate in the rectum. 



This intestine is seen thus to 

 traverse all the abdominal re- 

 gions, and to form nearly a 



complete circuit enclosing the small intestine. It has the 

 same number of coats as the small bowel. The peritoneum 



FIG. 185 represents the Large Intestine, a Termination of ilium. 6 Ap- 

 pendix vermiformis. c Caput coli or ccecum. d Transverse colon, e De- 

 scending colon. / Sigmoid flexure, g h Commencement and course of rectum. 

 i Anus. 



