THE LUMBAR REGION. 193 



viscera, and from the numerous fasciae which enter into 

 its formation, and the relation of these fasciae to ab- 

 scess, &c. 



The limits or boundaries of the region may be defined 

 as follows : above, the lower border of the last rib; below, 

 the crest of the ilium ; externally, a line drawn through 

 the end of the first rib perpendicularly to the iliac crest; 

 and internally, the line of the spinous processes of the 

 vertebrae. 



Dissection. On making a dissection of the region in- 

 dicated by these limits, from the integument towards the 

 abdominal cavity and its contents, the following struc- 

 tures would be met with : The integument, tough and 

 thick ; the subcutaneous cellular tissue, containing a 

 great deal of fat, excepting along the middle line ; the 

 aponeurotic origin of the latissimus dorsi and serratus 

 posticus inferior, part of the external oblique, and com- 

 mon aponeurotic attachment of the internal oblique and 

 transversalis, the mass of the erector spinae muscles, a 

 considerable number of vessels and nerves lying between 

 these muscles, the attachment to the transverse processes 

 of the lumbar vertebras of the middle lamina of the apo- 

 neurosis of the transversalis muscle, the quadratus lum- 

 borum muscle and ilio-lumbar ligament, branches of the 

 lower part of the dorsal and upper part of lumbar plex- 

 uses, psoas muscles, transversalis fascia, a large quantity 

 of fat and cellular tissue separating the kidney from the 

 parietes, the kidney itself, with the ureter and spermatic 

 or ovarian vessels, and in the front of the psoas, the 

 colon, the ascending on the right, and the descending on 

 the left. The ascending colon is generally inclosed in 

 peritoneum, which forms, by its attachment to the spine, 

 a mesocolon, whilst the descending is covered only 



