478 A MANUAL OF ANATOMY. 



called the broad ligaments pass to the sides of the pelvic 

 cavity. 



Between the front wall of the bladder and the inner 

 surface of the pubes and lower abdominal wall is a space, 

 not covered by peritoneum, called the space of Retzius. 



The circuit thus traversed outlines the cavity of the 

 greater peritoneum, to distinguish it from the cavity of the 

 lesser peritoneum or the great omentum. Remember that 

 these two cavities are continuous with each other, but 

 through a constricted neck which is called the foramen of 

 Winslow. This opening lies behind the gastrohepatic 

 omentum, opening at the right into the greater cavity just 

 outlined, and continued at the left into the cavity to be 

 examined. A finger can be introduced from right to left, 

 behind the gastrohepatic omentum, into this foramen. 



If a transverse circuit be made at the upper part of the 

 abdominal cavity the peritoneum will be seen to have the 

 following arrangement (Diag. 41): 



It will be easily recognized that the peritoneum lines the 

 anterior and lateral walls of the abdomen. It will also be 

 seen to cover the front of the liver (interrupted by the fal- 

 ciform ligament) and the stomach, and that it connects 

 these organs forming the anterior layer of the gastrohepa- 

 tic omentum. Continued to the left, the peritoneum turns 

 around the fundus of the stomach and passes on to the 

 spleen. The portion of the peritoneum between the 

 stomach and the spleen is the left layer of the gastrosplenic 

 omentum. From the spleen the peritoneum extends to 

 the back of the abdominal cavity, forming the left layer of 

 the phrenosplenic ligament which holds the spleen in place. 

 The fold forming the last ligament turns outward and covers 

 the abdominal wall. 



Passing to the right, from the upper surface of the liver, 



