FORM OF THE LIVER. 



863 



the abdominal viscera. It measures about ten or twelve inches transversely 

 from right to left, between six aiid seven inches from its posterior to its 

 anterior border, and about three and a half inches from above downwards at 

 its thickest part, which is towards the right and posterior portion of the 



Fig. 604. SKETCH OP THE UNDER 



SURFACE OF THE LlVER. \ 



The anterior border is turned 

 upwards, and ths blood-vessels 

 and ducts have been removed : 1, 

 the right lobe ; 2, the left lube ; 

 3, 4, the longitudinal fissure ; 3, 

 its umbilical part ; 4, part con- 

 taining the ductus venosus ; 5, 

 transverse or portal fissure ; 6, 

 lobulus quadiatus ; 7, lobulus 

 Spigelii ; 8, lobulus caudatus ; 

 9, fissure or fossa of the vena 

 cava ; 10, the gall-bladder in its 



Fig. 604. 



gland. The average bulk, 



according to Krause, is 



eighty-eight cubic inches ; 



according to Beale, one 



hundred. The ordinary weight in the adult is stated to be between three 



and four pounds, or more precisely from fifty to sixty ounces avoirdupois. 



According to the facts recorded by Reid, the liver weighed, in 43 cases out of 82, 

 between 48 and 58 ounces in the adult male ; and in 17 cases out of 36, its weight in 

 the adult female ranged between 40 and 50 ounces. It is generally estimated to be 

 equal to about- l-36th of the weight of the whole body ; but in the foetus, and in early 

 life, its proportionate weight is greater. (Reid, in Lond. and Edin. Monthly 

 Journal of Med. Science, April, 1843.) 



The specific gravity of the liver, according to Krause and others, is between 1*05 

 and 1-06 : in fatty degeneration this is reduced to 1*03, or even less. 



The parenchyma of the liver has an acid reaction (Kolliker). Beale gives the 

 following results of his analysis of the liver of a healthy man, who was killed by a 

 fall. 



Water .... 



Solid matters . 



Fatty matters 



Albumen 



Extractive matters 



Alkaline salts 



Vessels, &c. insoluble in water 



Earthy salts 



68-58 

 31-42 



3-82 



4-67 



5-40 



1-17 



16-03 



33 



100-00 



The liver is a solid organ, of a dull reddish-brown colour, with fre- 

 quently a dark-purplish tinge along the margin. It has an upper smooth 

 and convex surface, and an under surface which is uneven and concave ; 

 the circumference is thick and rounded posteriorly and towards the right 

 extremity, but becomes gradually thinner towards the left and in front, 

 where it forms the sharp anterior and left lateral margins. 



The upper surface is convex, smooth, and covered with peritoneum. It 

 is marked off into a right portion, large and convex, and a left portion, 



