SITUATION OF THE ABDOMINAL VISCERA. 



825 



lower three-fifths, is disposed in moveable convolutions, and is attached 

 posteriorly by a broad mesentery to the abdominal wall. It occupies the 

 umbilical and hypogastric regions, from the back parb of which the mesen- 

 tery takes origin, and it extends likewise into the lumbar and iliac regions, 

 besides gravitating into the pelvis. The ileum terminates abruptly in the 

 right iliac region in the caput ccecum, a cul-de-sac in which the great intestine 

 commences. The caecum is continued into the ascending colon, which lies 

 against the posterior wall of the abdomen, as it passes up through the right 

 lumbar to the right hypochondriac region. The ascending colon is succeeded 

 by the transverse colon which passes transversely, or with a pendulous curve, 

 across the abdomen from right to left, resting on the small intestines. Below 



Fig. 578. DIAGRAM OF THE ABDO- Fig. 578. 



MINAL PART OF THE ALIMENTARY 

 CANAL. ^ 



1, the stomach ; 2, the lower part 

 of the gullet ; 3, the left cul-de- 

 sac, aud, 4, the pyloric end of the 

 stomach ; 5, 6, the duodenum ; 7, 

 8, convolutions of the small intes- 

 tine ; 9, caecum ; 10, the vermi- 

 form process ; 11, ascending, 12, 

 transverse, and, 13, descending 

 colon ; 14, commencement of the 

 sigmoid flexure ; 15, rectum. 



the spleen, the transverse 

 colon is continued into the 

 descending colon which extends 

 down through the left lumbar 

 to the left iliac region, where 

 it is continued into the more 

 loosely bound sigmoid flexure, 

 which occupies that fossa and 

 falls into the rectum. 



Within the pelvis, the ex- 

 tension downwards of the 

 peritoneal cavity is termed 

 the recto-ve&ical fossa : pos- 

 teriorly the rectum is ob- 

 served, and anteriorly the 

 sloping upper wall of the 

 urinary bladder ; while, in 

 the female, the uterus projects 

 upwards between the rectum 

 and bladder, so that a recto- 

 uterine pouch is formed, and 

 the ovaries and Fallopian 

 tubes are pendant at its sides. 

 The bladder when full, and 

 the uterus in its gravid state, 

 project upwards into the abdomen, and displace more or less of the small 

 intestine. 



Subjoined is an enumeration of the organs situated in the different 

 regions of the abdomen. 



