ABDOMINAL CAVITY 335 



pancreas by the transverse meso-colon. At the right extremity 

 of the transverse colon, however, the transverse meso-colon 

 is absent, and the posterior part of the wall of the transverse 

 colon lies directly against the descending part of the duodenum 

 and the adjacent portion of the head of the pancreas (Fig. 

 155). Anteriorly the transverse colon is in relation from 

 right to left, with the inferior surface of the right lobe of the 

 liver ; the lower part of the posterior surface of the gall- 

 bladder ; the cavity of the omental bursa and the anterior 

 two layers of the greater omentum, which separate it from 

 the abdominal wall and the abdominal surface of the 

 diaphragm. It has already been pointed out that before it 

 enters the posterior wall of the omental bursa, that is before 

 the transverse meso-colon commences, its posterior surface is 

 in direct relation with the anterior surface of the descending 

 part of the duodenum and the adjacent part of the head of 

 the pancreas ; then it lies in front of the third part of the 

 duodenum, the upper end of the mesentery of the small 

 intestine, the duodeno-jejunal flexure, and, finally, in front of 

 coils of jejunum, which separate it from the lower pole of 

 the left kidney. Its lower border is attached to the posterior 

 two layers of the greater omentum. The right extremity of 

 its upper border is in relation to the inferior surface of the 

 liver and the posterior surface of the gall-bladder, and, in 

 the remainder of its extent, it is attached posteriorly by the 

 transverse meso-colon to the pancreas, and anteriorly it em- 

 braces the lower part of the greater curvature of the stomach, 

 behind the line of attachment of the greater omentum to the 

 lower border of that viscus. 



The Transverse Meso-colon is a fold of peritoneum which 

 connects the posterior part of the upper border of the trans- 

 verse colon to the front of the head and to the anterior border 

 of the body of the pancreas. It is not so extensive as the 

 transverse colon, and is absent to the right of the head of the 

 pancreas, where the transverse colon is in direct contact with 

 the second part of the duodenum. The lower layer of the 

 transverse meso-colon has already been removed, but the 

 upper layer and the arteries which lie between the two layers 

 are still in position and will enable the dissector to verify the 

 attachments of the fold, which contains the middle colic 

 artery and its branches, the accompanying veins, nerves, 

 lymph glands, and lymph vessels, and the terminal portions 



