ABDOMINAL CAVITY 373 



membrane is spread over the gland. The liver substance pre- 

 sents a mottled appearance, and when torn or ruptured the 

 surface exhibits a granular aspect. The minute particles 

 which give rise to this appearance are the hepatic lobules. 

 In the human liver these are not completely separated from 

 each other. 



Glandulae Suprarenales (O.T. Suprarenal Bodies or 

 Capsules). The suprarenal glands are two small, flattened 

 bodies, which are placed upon the upper ends of the kidneys. 

 Each suprarenal body surmounts the corresponding kidney 

 after the fashion of a helmet, and is prolonged downwards for 

 a short distance upon its anterior surface and its medial border. 

 The suprarenal glands lie in the epigastric region, and rest 

 posteriorly upon the diaphragm. 



The Bight Suprarenal Gland is, as a rule, triangular in 

 form, and rests, by its base, upon the anterior and medial 

 aspect of the upper end of the right kidney. It is placed 

 between the posterior surface of the right lobe of the liver 

 and the adjacent portion of the diaphragm at the side of 

 the vertebral column. 



The anterior surface^ which looks laterally as well as 

 forwards, is moulded into two areas by the pressure of the 

 inferior vena cava and the liver (i) The medial area is a 

 narrow vertical strip which lies behind the inferior vena 

 cava ; (2) the lateral area is adapted to the posterior and 

 inferior surfaces of the liver. Only a small and variable 

 part of the lower portion of the anterior surface of the 

 right suprarenal gland is covered with peritoneum. On 

 the upper part of the impression for the vena cava, not far 

 from the apex of the gland, a short fissure, termed the hilum, 

 may be observed. From it issues a short wide suprarenal 

 vein which immediately enters the inferior vena cava. The 

 posterior surface of the right suprarenal gland is divided by a 

 salient, curved ridge into an upper, flat part, which is applied 

 to the diaphragm, and a concave, lower part, sometimes 

 called the base; the concavity is occupied by fat which 

 separates the gland from the kidney. 



The Left Suprarenal Gland is semilunar in form, and, as 

 a rule, is slightly larger than the right. Its position on the 

 kidney is also somewhat different. It is usually placed on 

 the medial border of the kidney above the hilum, but it may 

 extend to the upper end. 

 ii24 6 



