The effects of certain anatomical relations : a lecture delivered before the Medical Society, Charing Cross Hospital / by James Cantlie.

  • Cantlie, James, Sir, 1851-1926.
Date:
[1888?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The effects of certain anatomical relations : a lecture delivered before the Medical Society, Charing Cross Hospital / by James Cantlie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    is the heart, which presents a little more on the left than the right side. A table of proportionate weights yields this result:— Liver Pancreas Spleen ... ♦ Lungs ... Heart ... Kidneys Right side. .. 44! .. T — 14 O .. 20 .. 2.\ .. .. 4J •• 73? ozs Left side. 4j ... ii ... 7 ... 18 ... 6* ... 4i 415- ozs. Hence the right side according to this table is heavier than the left by 31^ ozs. Now what are the facts? On carefully dividing the thoracic and abdominal viscera, by a central incision from the top of the sternum to the symphysis pubis, it is found that the left, not the right, but the viscera on the left side of the body weigh 13^ ozs. more than the right, i.e., not only is the deficiency of 31^ ozs. made up but there are 13^ ozs. to the good. What is there then to make up this 31! ozs. + 135- ozs. = 45 ozs. upon the left side ? There is the intestine, and it is the intestine, and chiefly the small intestine, which makes up this lee way. The small intestines lie chiefly on the left iliac fossa and also in the pelvis between the bladder and rectum. The effect of the first position is to compensate for the weight of the liver on the right and balance the body; and the effect of the latter position is to carry the focal point of the body weight below the centre of the axis of the weight of the body. Here then is ground work for theorists to work on.