THE PERITONEUM. 



369 



THE PERITONEUM. 



The peritoneum is a serous sac which lines the walls 

 of the abdomen and is reflected upon the viscera, which 

 it more or less completely invests. In order best to under- 

 stand its arrangement with reference to the viscera, this 

 diagram, representing a 

 vertical antero-posterior 

 section through the me- 

 dian line of the body, 

 should be closely studied. 



Now begin at the 

 under surface of the dia- 

 phragm anteriorly, and 

 marked 1 in the dia- 

 gram, and draw a line to 

 represent the peritoneum 

 nearly up to the pos- 

 terior abdominal wall ; 

 then draw another line, 

 beginning posteriorly at 

 2, forward so as to meet 

 the line first drawn. 

 These lines represent the 



anterior and posterior FIG. 162. A VERTICAL SECTION SHOWING 

 T n . p.-. .. THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE LAYERS 



leaflets OI the peritoneum, OF THE PERITONEUM. 



D. diaphragm; L, liver; S, stomach; P, pancreas: 

 D, duodenum ; C, colon ; I, small intestine : D, blad- 

 der : R. rectum : 3, posterior surface of liver ; 4, fora- 

 men oi Winslow : 5, great omentum ; 6, lesser omentum : 

 7. mesocolon ; 8, 9. lesser cavity of peritoneum : 10, 

 mesentery ; 11, recto-vesieal fold. 



its superior surface, form- 

 ing the suspensory ligament of the liver. Upon reaching 

 the upper surface of the liver they again diverge, the 

 anterior leaflet passing in front of the liver, the posterior 

 behind it ; but again meet at the transverse fissure of the 

 liver, having invested that organ. Thence they pass by 

 this to the superior curvature of the stomach, forming 



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