ABDOMEN. 



Eg-. 2. 



with liair ; in the female it is much more pro- 

 minent than in the male, and is called the mom 

 Veneris. In subjects where the muscular sys- 

 tem is well developed, there exists on each side 

 of this median groove an oblong convexity, ex- 

 tending from the anterior surface of the lower 

 part of the chest to the pubis ; these convexities 

 indicate the situation of the rectl muscles. In 

 statues representing athletic men, the promi- 

 nences occasioned by these muscles are gene- 

 rally very well shewn, and are divided by trans- 

 verse superficial depressions into smaller qua- 

 drilateral portions, generally three in number. 

 External to these prominences there is, in 

 similar muscular subjects, a fissure extending 

 from the border of the chest, in a slightly 

 curved course with external convexity, to a point 

 a little to the inner side of the anterior superior 

 spine of the ilium ; this fissure has internal to 

 it the prominence from the recti muscles, and 

 external that from the broad muscles of the 



abdomen. Gerdy calls it the lateral groove or 

 furrow of the abdomen.* (See Jig. 1.) 



The posterior wall or the region of the loins, 

 (lumbar region,) is in every way of less extent 

 than the anterior. Its vertical height is equal 

 to the distance between the last rib and the 

 margin of the ilium. It is continuous on the 

 sides with the flanks, and is divided along the 

 middle line by a groove, corresponding to the 

 lumbar spinous processes, into two symmetrical 

 portions, each of which forms a large and pro- 

 minent relief. Each relief corresponds to a 

 great muscular mass, which almost wholly oc- 

 cupies this region, and its prominence is greatest 

 when those muscles are in a state of contrac- 

 tion, as during the erect posture. Each relief 

 is concave from above downwards, and in 

 a degree directly proportionate to the conlrac- 



* Gerdy, Anatomic des Formes Exterieures, p. 189. 

 The above engraving is reduced from the folio platt-s 

 which accompany this work. 



