THE LIVER. 87 



CHAPTER III. 



OF THE LIVER, THE PANCREAS, AND THE SPLEEN. 



Of the Liver. 



THIS largest viscus of the abdomen, when in a healthy con- 

 dition is of a reddish brown color. If it is taken out of the 

 subject, and laid on a flat surface, it is flat, but in the abdomen 

 it is convex and concave. 



It is situated in the right hypochondriac region, which 

 it occupies entirely ; and extends through the upper portion of 

 the epigastric into the left hypochondriac region. Being placed 

 immediately under the diaphragm, and in close contact with it, 

 as well as with the inner surface of the right hypochondriac 

 region, it partakes of their form, and is convex above and con- 

 cave below. When thus situated, it is of an irregular figure, 

 between the circular and the oval, but is broader at the right 

 extremity than at the left, and very irregular in thickness. The 

 edge or margin which is in contact with the posterior part of the 

 right hypochondriac region, is very thick. It gradually becomes 

 thinner towards the left, and also towards the front ; so that the 

 right margin, and a large portion of the posterior margin, is very 

 thick, while the left and anterior margin is thin. 



The upper convex surface of the liver, when in its natural 

 situation is smooth : the lower concave surface is marked by 

 several grooves or fissures and eminences. One of these, called 

 the Umbilical or the great fissure, commences at a notch in 

 the anterior edge of the liver, to the left of the middle, and con- 

 tinues to the posterior edge. At the commencement of this 

 fissure the umbilical ligament enters ; and at the termination, 

 or near it, the vena cava is skua ted. Opposite to this fissure, 

 on the upper or convex surface, is a ligament passing from the 

 diaphragm to the liver, which is called the falciform. The 



