122 THE OPERATION. 



connexion between the two ribs. Divide 

 the belly of the internal costal muscle length- 

 wise. This done, we come- to a thin, deli- 

 cate, semi-transparent membrane, which is 

 the peritoneum; this must also be divided, 

 taking care to cut as far from the pleura as 

 possible. A branch of the celiac artery trav- 

 erses this membrane, and may be injured 

 by carelessness. On cutting through this 

 membrane, the upper testicle is brought to 

 view. This lies on the margin of the later- 

 al spinous processes, surrounded by nerves 

 and bloodvessels. It is a small yellow body, 

 its colour somewhat darkened by the mem- 

 brane covering it. 



Introduce the elevator, and, pushing 

 forward and downward the intestine, the 

 lower testicle is seen, somewhat diagonally 

 to the other, lying centrally between two large 

 bloodvessels. On raising it with the elevator, 

 it comes into contact with the membrane ; the 

 lower bloodvessel is then obscure. This 

 vessel is the mesenteric vein that lies be- 

 tween the two testicles. Contiguous to the 

 aorta is the descending vena cava. Remove 



