220 SPECIAL ANATOMY. 



450. 2. Abdominal salivary gland, Pancreas. 



This is a long 1 , flat, greyish white gland, which is placed trans- 

 versely behind the greater curvature of the stomach, before the 

 twelfth dorsal and first lumbar vertebra, and extends from the con- 

 cavity of the duodenum as far as the spleen. In length: seven 

 to eight inches ; thickness : half to one inch ; breadth : one and a 

 half to two inches and three quarters; weight: three to four 

 ounces. The right extremity (caput, extremitas duodenalis], 

 thick and broad, lies coiled in the curvature of the duodenum 

 (and on the ductus ckoledochus) ; partly before the P. horizontalis 

 inferior duodeni, close before the art. and ven. mesenterica, aorta 

 and v. cava infer.; it is called, when separated from the rest, Pan- 

 creas parvum Winslowii. 



The left, splenic extremity (cauda) is narrow, and lies on the 

 internal surface of the spleen. 



The superior thick border has a groove for art. lienalis, and 

 looks towards the pars super, duodeni, lobul. Spigelii and art. 

 cceliaca. The inferior border lies along the;?, horizontalis duoden. 

 infer., separated to the left by art. and ven. mesenterica superior. 



The anterior convex surface, covered by the peritonaeum, looks 

 towards the posterior wall of the stomach, the commencement of 

 the duodenum and iheflexur. coli dextra. 



The posterior concave surface is not covered by peritoneum; 

 separated from the vertebrae by V. lienalis, mesenterica superior, 

 and commencement of Ven. portse, crurae of the diaphragm, V. 

 cava inf. (on the right), Aorta (to the left). To the left of the 

 vertebral column it rests upon the caps, supra renales, renal ves- 

 sels and nerves. The Pancreas follows the movements of the 

 Duodenum. 



The excretory duct, duct, pancreaticus seu Wirsungianus, arises in the splenic 

 end, by the conjunction of several canaliculi which come from the lobules of 

 the gland, always becoming wider, as all the canaliculi open directly into it, 

 and passing in the central part of the gland to the right extremity, where it 

 makes its exit, lying to the left of the ductus ckoledochus, which it perforates, 

 and opens in common with it in the pars descend, duodeni. Its walls are very 

 thin, extensible, milk-white, and inwardly smooth. Two pancreatic ducts 

 are frequently present, one of which opens in an isolated manner into the 

 duodenum. 



Structure: The Pancreas consists, like the salivary glands, of conglomerated 

 lobules connected together by uniting tissue, these again of vesicles (aciwi), in 

 which the canaliculi commence. 



Vessels: Art et Ven. are branches of lienalis, pancreatico-duodenalis, and 

 mesenterica superior. 



Nerves : They come from pkxus lienalis, gastricus, mesentericus superior. 



Function: Secretion and excretion of succus pancreaticus (that is, a colour- 

 less, transparent, and viscous mucus, in which we find soda, common salt, 

 phosphate of lime). 



