A treatise on special and general anatomy: in two volumes (Volume 2).

  • Horner, William E. (William Edmonds), 1793-1853.
Date:
1836
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on special and general anatomy: in two volumes (Volume 2). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    In addition to the peritoneal coat, the liver has another, con- nectmg it with the peritoneum, and seeming to be only condensed cellular substance, which also penetrates into the substance of the gland, and holds its constituent parts together. It is parti- cularly well seen within the circle of the coronary ligament. Of the Organization of the Liver. The Liver is made extremely vascular by the ramifications of three kinds of blood vessels, the vena portarum, the Hepatic Arte- ry, and the Hepatic Veins. The two first convey the blood to it, and the third removes it again, into the general circulation, by emptying into the ascending vena cava. There are also branches of the hepatic duct, lymphatic vessels, and nerves. The glandular substance is fragile and easily lacerated; when torn it assumes the appearance of a congeries of spherical or po- lyhedrical grains, called acini from their resemblance to small ber- ries : they are united in mass by the elongations of the cellular coat, and traversed by the trunks of the blood vessels. Each of these granulations is about the size of a millet seed, and is a re- presentative of the entire gland, as its structure is complete in itself; being formed by the terminations of the blood vessels, and by the origin of a branch of the hepatic duct, called the porus biliarius. When examined with a microscope, it is said that these acini are composed of a yellow and of a brown-looking sub- stance ; it has not, however, occurred to me to see the distinction m a very satisfactory way, though it is recognised by anatomists of high authority.* The Vena Portarum having arisen from the junction of all the veins of the stomach, intestines, pancreas and spleen, is about three inches in length when it reaches the transverse fis- sure, by going over the duodenum and under the pancreas. It immediately divides into two branches, called collectively the Sinus Venas Portarum, which is at right angles with the trunk of the vein; the right branch being the shortest and largest, is distributed by radiating trunks to the right lobe of the liver; • Bichat, Meckel, &c.