THE MESEXTERY 



999 



The mesentery is described as Ix-iiig ' attju-hcd posteriorly by a very sliort bonU-r 

 which extends from the h'vel of the attaelniient of the traiisverse meso-colon to the 

 left of the middle line directly down to the right iliac fossa where the ilenni falls 

 into the caecum' ((^uain;. This is the ])recise attachment made evident when the 

 intestines have been all cut away, and nothing but the stumj) of the mesenterv is 

 left (fig. 599). The attachment is, however, wholly acquired or secondarv. and 

 has been brought about by an extensive readjustment: of the peritoneum. The real 



Fig. 599.— Diaoram to show thk Lines along which the Peritoneim leaves the 

 Wall of the Abdo.men to inve.st the Viscera. (Cuuniughain.j 



Falciform ligament Left lateral ligament 

 of liver of liver 



Vena cava 



COMMENCE- 

 MENT OF 

 COLON 



Gaetro-phrenio 



ligament 

 (ESOPHAGUS 



GASTRO-SPLENIC 

 OMENTUM 



Splenic artery 

 Costo-eolic lig. 



TRANS.MESO-COLON 

 •S'lperior iiu'sph- 



Ipric nrlerij 

 BARE SURFACE tOR 



DESCENDING 



COLON 



SIGMOID MESO- 

 COLON 



attachment of the mesentery is about tlie origin of the superior mesenteric ailerv, 

 and this attachment obtains in mammals Ix'low man. In fig. 599 is shown the 

 posterior wall of the abdomen after the removal of the intestines, togetlier with 

 the stomach, liver, and spleen. The lines of the various perit<tneal reflexions 

 are depicted in a diagrammatic manner. A line drawn downwards, commencing 

 at the falciform ligament of the liver, and continued past the a'soj^hagus. througji 

 th<i gastro-splenic omentum, descending meso-colon. and sigmoid meso-colon, 



