304 



DISSECTION OF THE ABDOMEN. 



and peri- 

 toneum. 



Rectum. 



Position of 

 liver ; 



This part of the colon is smaller than either the ascending or the 

 transverse portion, and is commonly less surrounded by the perito- 

 neum ; its upper end is attached to the diaphragm by a special fold 

 (phrenico-colic) of that membrane. 



iliac colon. The iliac colon begins at the iliac crest, and descends in the left iliac 

 fossa, over the ilio-psoas muscle and the external iliac vessels, being 

 fixed in this position by the peritoneum, until it reaches the 

 brim of the pelvis. Here the intestine forms a large loop, which 

 is provided with a long process of peritoneum, and becomes the 

 Peiviccoion. freely movable pelvic colon. The pelvic colon commonly hangs 

 down as a loop in the cavity of the pelvis ; but it often projects 

 forwards and reaches the anterior wall of the abdomen. Below the 

 brim of the pelvis, opposite the third sacral vertebra, it ends in the 

 rectum. 



The rectum, or the termination of the large intestine, is contained 

 in the pelvis, and will be examined in the dissection of that cavity. 



The LIVER (figs. 109 and 111) is situate in the right hypochondriac 

 and lumbar and the epigastric regions, and often reaches slightly into 

 the left hypochondriac, the left extremity being usually behind the 

 junction of the left sixth rib with its cartilage. It is covered in front 

 by the ribs with their cartilages, except over a small area in the sub- 

 costal angle. Folds of peritoneum, called ligaments, attach it to the 

 abdominal parietes. 



The upper surface fits against the diaphragm, and is convex on 

 each side, but slightly hollowed in the centre below the heart. It 

 extends higher up on the right side than on the left, and reaches 

 the level of the fifth rib in the right lateral plane. 



anterior, The anterior surface is most seen at present, and passes in- 



sensibly into the upper surface above, and terminates at the 

 well-marked lower border below. This surface is in contact with the 

 diaphragm under cover ol the ribs and costal cartilages, and, between 

 the costal arches, with the anterior abdominal wall. It is divided 

 into two parts, corresponding to the right and left lobes of the organ, 

 by the falciform ligament. 



right, The superior and anterior surfaces pass insensibly into the right 



surface where the liver lies against the diaphragm on the right side 

 and sometimes projects below the ribs at their lower part against the 

 abdominal wall. 



and inferior. The inferior surface looks downwards, to the left, and somewhat 

 backwards ; it is in contact with the stomach, the first and second parts 

 of the duodenum, the small omentum, the gall-bladder, the right 

 kidney, and the beginning of the transverse colon. To this surface 

 the small omentum, containing the hepatic vessels, is attached. 



The lower border is thin and directed downwards. On the right 

 side it is concealed by the ribs ; but in the epigastric region it is 

 exposed, running obliquely from the ninth right to the eighth left 

 costal cartilage : it crosses the middle line of the body a little above 

 the transpyloric plane. The fundus of the gall-bladder projects 

 beyond this edge, close to the costal margin in the right lateral plane. 



surfaces 

 upper, 



lower 

 border. 



