956 



THE ORGANS OF DKiESTIOX 



creas, which sepamtc it from the vertel)ral column; next it roaches the anterior of 

 the two internal surfaces of the si)leen in front of the hilum. Here it meets with 

 another layer of peritoneum, and helps to form the gastro-splenic omentum. 

 Leavinij; the spleen, it changes its direction, and runs to the right to the stomach, 

 forming the })osterior layer of the gastro-splenic omentum; it covers the posterior 

 surface of the stomach, and leaves its upper border to form the posterior layer of 

 the gastro-hepatic omentum, and then passes upwards and to the right to the liver. 

 In this transverse s(H^tion,it is only seen passing on the right to the hepatic vessels, 

 where it forms the posterior lioundary of the foramen of ^Vinslow. Here it bends 

 sharplv round and forms the anterior layer of the gastro-hepatic omentum; and 

 passing to tlie left reaches the stomach, which it covers in front. It then forms the 



Fig. 563.— DiAtiUAM to show the Peritoneum as seex in a vertical Section. 



(Allen Thomson. 



GASTRO-HEPATIC OMENTUM 

 STOMACH 



TRANSVERSE COLON 

 MESENTERY 



FORAMEN OF WINSLOW 

 PANCREAS 



DUODENUM 



TRANSVERSE MESO-COLON 



anterior layer of the gastro-splenic omentum, and once more reaches the spleen. 

 It passes riglit round the spleen to the back of the hilum, where it is reflected on 

 to the left kidney (fig. 562). Hence the ])eritoneum ]iasses along the side and front 

 of the alxlonien to the })oint from which it started. In this section the liver is so 

 divided as to ajjpear separated from all connection with the other viscera and the 

 alxlominal wall, and to be surrounded l)y jM-ritoneum. 



The course of the peritoneum in a longitudinal section of the body will now 

 be considered (fig. 563). Starting at the uml>ilicus. and passing downwards, the 

 periton(nnn is seen to line the anterior abdominal wall. Before reaching the pelvis 

 it covers also the urachus,' the deep epigastric arteries, and obliterated hypogastric 

 arteries, which can be seen to form ridges l)oneath it. For some little way above 

 the OS ])ubis the peritoneum is loosely connectecl with the abdominal wall, a cir- 



