LARGE INTESTINES. 53 



very near to the intestine. They are often enlarged in conse- 

 quence of disease, especially in children. 



The nerves of the small intestines which are derived princi- 

 pally from the superior mesenteric plexus, are also to be Jbund 

 here. 



The adipose matter between the lamina of the mesentery is 

 very often in large quantity, but varies, in proportion to the 

 general quantity of adeps in the subject. 



OF THE GREAT INTESTINES. 



The Cacum and Colon 



Are very different from the small intestines in many respects. 

 They are much larger in diameter ; their external surface is 

 marked by three longitudinal bands of light color, which 

 extend the greatest part of their length, and are placed nearly 

 at equal distances from each other ; the spaces between these 

 bands are marked by transverse indentations, which pass from 

 one band to the other, at short but unequal distances. At 

 these indentations the coats of the intestine are pressed inwards, 

 as if a fine thread had been drawn round it externally, while 

 the spaces between them are full and tumid, and on this account 

 are called cells. 



The great intestine, with these appearances, begins, as has 

 been already observed, in the right iliac region, by a rounded 

 end which rests on the fossa or concave surface formed by the 

 costa of the ileum ; from this it is continued upwards in the 

 right lumbar region, anterior to the kidney, called ascending 

 colon, until it arrives near the liver, when it forms a transverse 

 part or curve, called the arch of the colon, and passes directly 

 across the abdomen to the left side. In this course it approaches 

 so near to the under side of the liver, that it is often in contact 

 with it, and with the gall-bladder, which, after death, tinges it 

 with a yellow color. On the left side it passes down the lumbar 

 region, forming the descending colon, before the kidney, to the 

 left iliac region ; here it is curved so as to resemble the 

 Roman letter S, inverted, forming the sigmoid flexure ; this 



