ABDOMINAL CAVITY 431 



region and a right and left hypochondriac region ; the umbilical 

 zone into a central umbilical region and a right and left 

 lumbar region ; and the hypogastric zone into a central 

 hypogastric region and a g#/ and left iliac region. 



Contents of Abdomen Proper. Within the abdominal 

 cavity we find the following structures : 



f Stomach. 



1. Abdominal part of the alimentary canal.-! Small intestine. 



^ Large intestine. 



2. Glands situated outside the^i 



walls of the alimentary canal [Liver with its gall-bladder or reservoir, 

 and pouring their secretions j Pancreas, 

 into it. J 



3. The spleen. 



4. The two kidneys, the ureters, and the two suprarenal bodies. 



5. Lymph glands, lymph vessels, the cisterna chyli, and the commence- 



ment of the thoracic duct. 



6. The abdominal aorta, with its various visceral and parietal branches. 



7. The inferior vena cava and its tributaries, and the commencements 



of the venae azygos and hemiazygos. 



8. The vena portae and its tributaries. 



9. The lumbar plexuses of nerves. 



10. The abdominal portions of the sympathetic nervous system. 

 n. The peritoneal membrane which lines the cavity and invests the 

 viscera. 



On opening the abdominal cavity, a very partial view of 

 the contained viscera is obtained, so long as they are left 

 undisturbed. On the right side of the costal zone the sharp 

 margin of the liver may be observed, projecting slightly below 

 the ribs, whilst opposite the ninth costal cartilage the fundus 

 of the gall-bladder is seen peeping out from under cover of 

 the liver, and projecting slightly beyond its anterior border. 

 In the same zone, to the left of the liver, a portion of the 

 stomach is visible, whilst extending downwards from the greater 

 curvature or anterior border of this viscus is a broad apron- 

 like fold of peritoneal membrane, called the great omentum. 

 This usually contains a quantity of fat in its meshes, and 

 is spread out like an apron, so as to hide from view the 

 viscera which occupy the two lower zones. Sometimes, how- 

 ever, the great omentum is narrow and short ; or it may 

 be turned more or less completely upwards or to the side. 

 In either case some of the coils of the small intestine will 

 be seen, and also, in all probability, those parts of the great 

 intestine which occupy the right and left iliac fossae. The 

 part lying in the right iliac fossa is called the ccecum, whilst 

 the part situated in the left iliac fossa is the iliac colon. It 



