PERITONEUM DUPLICATURES. 499 



rectum, which it holds in its place by means of a fold called meso -rectum, 

 forms a pouch, the recto-vesical fold, between the rectum and bladder, 

 ascends upon the posterior surface of the bladder, forming its false liga 

 ments, and returns upon the anterior parietes of the abdomen to the dia 

 phragm, whence w r e first traced it. 



In the female, after descending into the pelvis in front of the rectum, it 

 is reflected upon the posterior surface of the vagina and uterus. It then 

 descends on the anterior surface of the uterus, and forms at either side 

 the broad ligaments of that organ. From the uterus it ascends upon the 

 posterior surface of the bladder and anterior parietes of the abdomen, and 

 is continued, as in the male, to the diaphragm. 



In this way the continuity of the peritoneum, as a whole, is distinctly 

 shown, and it matters not where the examination commence or where it 

 terminate, still the same continuity of surface will be discernible through- 

 out. If we trace it from side to side of the abdomen, we may commence 

 at the umbilicus ; we then follow it outwards lining the inner side of the 

 parietes to the ascending colon ; it surrounds that intestine ; it then sur- 

 rounds the small intestine, and returning on itself forms the mesentery. 

 It then invests the descending colon, and reaches the parietes on the op- 

 posite side of the abdomen, whence it may be traced to the exact point 

 from which we started. 



The viscera, which are thus shown to be invested by the peritoneum in 

 its course from above downwards, are the 



Liver, Small intestines, 



Stomach, Pelvic viscera. 



Transverse colon, 



The folds, formed between these and between the diaphragm and the 

 liver, are 



(Diaphragm.) 

 Broad, coronary, and lateral ligaments. 



(Liver.) 

 Lesser omentum. 



(Stomach.) 



Greater omentum. 



(Transverse colon.) 



Transverse meso-colon. 



Mesentery, 

 Meso-rectum, 

 Recto-vesical fold, 

 False ligaments of the bladder. 



And in the female, the 



Broad ligaments of the uterus. 



The ligaments of the liver will be described with that organ. 



The Lesser omentum is the duplicature which passes between the liver 

 and the upper border of the stomach. It is extremely thin, excepting a' 

 its right border, where it is free, and contains between its layers, the 



