[ 225 



SECT. XXIII. 



OF DIGESTION. 



351. THE stomach is the organ of digestion. It ex- 

 ists, what cannot be affirmed of any other viscus, in 

 perhaps all animals without exception ; and, if the im- 

 portance of parts may be estimated in this way, evi- 

 dently holds the first rank among our organs. 



352. The human stomach* resembles a very large 

 leathern bottle, is capable in the adult of containing 

 three pints and upwards of water, and has two open- 

 ings. 



The superior, called cardia, at which the oesophagus, 

 folded and opening obliquely, expands into the sto- 

 mach, is placed towards the left side of its fundus. 



The inferior, at which the right and narrower part 

 of the stomach terminates, is called pylorus, and de- 

 scends somewhat into the cavity of the duodenum. 



353. The situation of the stomach varies accordingly 

 as it is in a state of repletion or depletion. When 

 empty, it is flaccid and hangs into the cavity of the 

 abdomen, its greature curvature inclining downwards, 

 while the pylorus, being directed upwards, forms by 

 doubling, an angle with the duodenum.f 



When full, the larger curvature is rolled forwards, J 



* Eustachius, tab. x. fig. 1, 2, 3. Ruysch, Thes. Anat. ii. Tab. v. fig. 1. 

 Santorini, Tab. Posth. xi. 



t Vesalius, De c. h. Fabrica. L. v. fig. 14, 15. 

 I Id. J. c. g. 2. 



