120 TOPOGRAPHICAL ANATOMY OF THE 



intestine, the small colon, the omentum and (commonly, but not always) 

 the left dorsal colon. The gastric surface (facies gastrica) is elongated, 

 narrow and concave, and lies cranial to the visceral surface. It is chiefly 

 related to the stomach, but may also be in contact with the tail of the 

 pancreas. Between the visceral and gastric surfaces is the hilus (hilus 

 lienis), by which blood vessels, nerves and lymphatics enter and leave 

 the organ, and to which the gastro- splenic ligament is attached. 



The cranial border (margo cranialis), separating the gastric and 

 parietal surfaces, is thin and concave, in conformity with the curvature 

 of the organ as a whole. The caudal border (margo caudalis), between 

 the parietal and visceral surfaces, is not quite so thin, and is convex. 

 Its relative position is not constant, but in the majority of horses it 

 begins slightly caudal to the border of the last rib, and follows a line 

 2 or 3 centimetres dorsal to the union of the ribs with their 

 cartilages. 



The spleen is connected with the stomach by the gastro-splenic 

 ligament, as was seen during the examination of the latter viscus. 

 From the medial face of the spleen, close to its base, springs the 

 suspensory ligament (ligamentum suspensorium lienis), divisible into 

 a very elastic reno-splenic ligament (ligamentum renolienale), attached 

 to the kidney, and a 'phrenico- splenic ligament (ligamentum phreni- 

 colienale), connected with the left lumbar part of the diaphragm and 

 continuous with the gastro-phrenic and gastro-splenic ligaments. 



The liver (Hepar). — The liver is the largest gland in the body, 

 weighing about 5 kilogrammes, and is placed in contact with the 

 diaphragm, the curves of which it follows closely. The direction of the 

 longest diameter of the organ is oblique ; the right extremity being 

 dorsal and in contact with the right kidney, while the left extremity 

 lies opposite the junction of the seventh or eighth rib and its cartilage. 

 The greater bulk of the organ is to the right of the median plane of the 

 body. 



The diaphragmatic surface (facies diaphragmatica) is convex, with 

 a dorsal and cranial aspect, and smooth except for a deep groove, 

 running in a ventral direction with a slight degree of obliquity towards 

 the left, and beginning at the dorsal border of the gland. The groove 

 lodges the caudal vena cava, and is known as the fossa venw cavce. 

 Numerous hepatic veins open into the vena cava during its course 

 through the fossa, as may be seen if the vein be slit open. 



The visceral surface (facies visceralis), speaking generally, is 

 concave ; but ridges and projections are readily noted if the organ has 

 been well hardened before the abdomen was opened. An unhardened 

 liver, on the other hand, loses many of its characteristic features 



