THORAX AND ABDOMEN OF THE HORSE 



119 



independent dorsal and ventral glands approaching each other, and 

 finally fusing round the portal vein. 



The spleen (Lien). — The spleen is a bluish-red or purple organ of tri- 

 angular outline, weighing about 1 kilogramme, and placed to the left of 

 the stomach, with the greater curvature of which it is closely related. 

 The base of the organ is truncated and dorsal (extremitas dorsalis), and 

 almost reaches the vertebral column, being insinuated between the 

 diaphragm and the left kidney. On it the kidney causes a slight con- 

 cavity (facies renalis) with a medial and dorsal aspect. In terms of the 



Base. 



Lig. suspensorium lienis. , 



Renal surface. 

 V. lienalis. 



Intestinal surface. "\ 



Caudal border 



A. lienalis. 



Lig. gastrolienale. 



Gastric surface. 

 Cranial border. 



Fig. 55. — Medial aspect of the spleen. 



skeleton, the base of the spleen lies under the last three or four ribs. 

 The apex (extremitas ventralis) is bluntly pointed and directed in a 

 ventral and cranial manner ; but, being the mobile part of the organ, 

 varies somewhat in position with the movements of respiration and the 

 amount of distension of the stomach. During expiration it reaches the 

 ninth or tenth intercostal space, but during inspiration it may be pushed 

 backwards as far as the twelfth interspace. 



Three definite surfaces of the spleen can be distinguished. The 

 lateral or parietal surface (facies parietalis) is smooth and convex, and 

 applied to the diaphragm and the dorsal part of the last two ribs. The 

 visceral surface (facies visceralis) is concave, and related to the small 



