THE ABDOMINAL CAVITY. 



383 



to be continued on the concave curvature of the duodenum as far as the 

 caecum. By its posterior border, the great omentum is spread around the 

 termination of the large colon and the origin of the floating colon, where it is 

 confounded with the visceral peritoneum of these organs, as well as with the 

 parietal peritoneum. It results from this arrangement that the great omentum 

 forms behind the stomach, and in front of the adherent portion of the large 

 colon, a space that communicates with the great peritoneal cavity by a very 

 narrow opening, the foramen of Winslow. This aperture is included between 

 the vena portae, posterior vena cava, anterior extremity of the pancreas, and 

 the lesser curvature of the stomach. To the left of the latter viseus, on the 

 external face of the great omentum, the spleen is suspended ; consequently, 

 that portion extending from the spleen to the ventriculus is named the 

 g astro-splenic omentum. 



The two layers composing the great omentum are very thin for the 

 greater part of their extent, and include the blood-vessels between them. 

 In emaciated animals these vessels are distinctly seen, owing to the trans- 

 parency of the membranes, and they give the omentum a lace-work appear- 

 ance ; but in fat subjects they are concealed by the adipose tissue deposited 

 along their course, and which may accumulate in considerable quantity. 



In the sublumbar region, the parietal peritoneum forms several folds ; 

 these are : the Jiepatico-renal ligament, extending from the right lobe of the 

 liver to the anterior border of the right kidney ; the ligament of the lobus 

 Spigelii, the mesentery proper, the colic mesentery ; lastly, the greatly de- 

 veloped laminae surrounding the caecum and the second flexure of the colon, 

 which constitute the meso-ccecum and meso-colon. 



THEORETICAL LONGITUDINAL AND MEDIAN SECTION OF THE ABDOMINAL CAVITY, 

 TO SHOW THE REFLEXIONS OF THE PERITONEUM. 



1, Liver ; 2, Stomach ; 3, Small intestine ; 4, Origin of the floating colon ; 5, 

 Rectum; 6, Vagina and uterus; 7, Bladder; 9, Posterior aorta; 10, Diaphragm; 

 11, Posterior vena cava; 12, Inferior abdominal wall. Pp, Pp, Parietal perito- 

 neum ; Pv, Pv, Visceral peritoneum. L, Hepato-gastric ligament ; M, Mesentery. 

 Ge, Great omentum. 



The great mesentery is detached from the border of the large mesenteric 

 artery, and projects into the abdominal cavity to reach the small intestine 

 at its lesser curvature, and envelop that viscus. 



