TOPOGRAPHY OF THE THORAX AND ABDOMEN 53 



into the left hypochondriac region ; second, the left dome of 

 the diaphragm is about as high as the right, permitting the 

 left lobe of the liver to rise to the same level as the right 

 lobe. The tip of the left lobe is from 2 to 5 cm. farther to 

 the left of the midline than is figured in Toldt, Joessel, Her- 

 mann und Ruedel, Cunningham, and Quain. Deaver says 

 that the left lobe rarely extends more than 5 cm. to the 

 left of the sternum. The superior surface is more horizon- 

 tal than shown in Merkel, Quain, Joessel, et al. The dif- 

 ference is due largely to the higher level of the upper 

 border of the left lobe in this case. Joessel places the high- 

 est point of the left lobe nearly 2 cm. lower and much nearer 

 the midplane than in this subject. The level of the upper 

 border of the right lobe corresponds more closely to the 

 locations given by the above anatomists than does that of 

 the left lobe. Deaver places it at the lower border of the fifth 

 rib in the mammary line, while Hermann and Ruedel place 

 it at the upper margin of the fourth rib. However it is 

 probable that this seemingly great difference is due to the 

 differences in the relation of the sternum and ribs to the 

 vertebral column in the two subjects. This is true with re- 

 spect to the difiference between Hermann and Ruedel's pro- 

 jections and those in this paper, since in both the upper 

 boundary corresponds to the upper margin of the ninth 

 thoracic vertebra. The only other difference to be noted 

 is the obliquity of the anterior border. This is due to the 

 left lobe being somewhat higher than usual and very thin 

 in its superoinferior direction . This border as given by 

 most anatomists crosses the anterior abdominal wall from 

 the ninth right to the eighth left costal cartilage, or much 

 more nearly horizontal than this one. 



