106 PANCREATIC DUCT. 



in close contact with the intestine. This is called the head of 

 the pancreas, or the lesser pancreas. 



The position of the pancreas is such, that one of its surfaces 

 looks forwards and rather upwards, and the other backwards 

 and downwards ; one edge is of course posterior and superior, 

 and the other interior and inferior. The posterior of these edges 

 is much thicker than the other, and has a groove or excavation 

 which is occupied by the splenic blood-vessels. 



This gland differs from the other large glands of the abdo- 

 men, inasmuch as it has not a large artery particularly appro- 

 priated to it ; but instead of this, it receives branches from the 

 contiguous arteries. 



The arterial blood of this gland is partly supplied by the 

 splenic artery, which, in its course from the main trunk of the 

 coeliac to the spleen, while it is in the groove at the edge of the 

 pancreas, sends off into the gland one considerable branch 

 called the great pancreatic, and a number of small branches, 

 which go off in succession. In addition to these, the pancreas 

 receives vessels from one of the branches of the hepatic artery, 

 before it sends off its great ramifications, as well as small twigs 

 from several other contiguous arteries. The veins correspond 

 with the arteries, but ultimately are discharged into the vena 

 portarum. 



The pancreas resembles the salivary glands in color, and 

 also in texture ; for it is of a dull white color with a tinge of 

 red, and it appears to consist of small bodies of a granulated 

 form, which are so arranged as to compose small masses or 

 lobes that are united to each other by cellular membrane. 

 Each of these granulated bodies receives one or more small 

 arterial twigs, and from it proceeds not only a vein but a small 

 excretory duct, which, uniting with similar ducts from the ad- 

 joining granulated portions or acini, forms a larger duct in each 

 lobe or mass ; these open into the great duct of the gland, which 

 proceeds through it lengthwise from the left extremity, in which 

 it commences, to the right. 



This duct is situated in the body of the gland, which must 

 be dissected to bring it into view. It is thin and transparent, 



