186 ANATOMY FOE NURSES. [CHAP. XV. 



It lies beneath the greater curvature of the stomach and at the 

 back of the abdominal cavity. 



The liver. The liver is the largest gland in the body, weigh- 

 ing ordinarily from fifty to sixty ounces (1418 to 1701 grammes), 

 and measuring ten to twelve inches (254 to 305 mm.) from side 

 to side, six to seven (152 to 178 mm.) from above downwards, 

 and three inches (76 mm.) from before backwards in its thick- 

 est part. It is a dark reddish-brown organ, placed in the upper 

 right and middle portion of the abdomen, and extending some- 

 what into the left hypochondriac region. The upper convex 



FIG. 118. POSTERIOR VIEW OF PANCREAS. 1, pancreas; 2, pancreatic duct; 6, 

 opening of common duct, formed by union of pancreatic and choledochus ducts, into 

 duodenum; A, pyloric end of stomach; J5, duodenum; C, part of gall-bladder; D t 

 cystic duct ; E, hepatic duct ; F, choledochus duct. 



surface fits closely into the under surface of the diaphragm. 

 The under concave surface of the organ fits over the right kid- 

 ney, the upper portion of the ascending colon, and the pyloric 

 end of the stomach. The liver is unequally divided into two 

 lobes, the right being much larger than the left. It is covered 

 by a layer of peritoneum, and is also suspended and kept in 

 position by ligamentous bands. 



The liver not only differs in size from the other secreting 

 glands ; it also offers other striking peculiarities. First, it re- 

 ceives its supply of blood from two different sources ; namely, 

 arterial blood from the hypatic artery, and venous blood from 

 the stomach, spleen, pancreas, and intestines, by means of the 



