152 



OF FOOD, AND THE DIGESTIVE PROCESS. 



that of the surface with which it is continuous ; and from the bottom of this 

 pit, two or more passages (ft, 6) branch off, still lined by columnar epithelium, 

 which speedily subdivide into the proper glandular cseca(c, c). Each of 



FIG. 65. 



FIG. 66. 



FIG. 65. Vertical section of the Mucous Membrane of the Stomach, near the pylorus ; magnified 20 

 times. 



FIG. 66. Capillary network of the lining membrane of the Stomach, with the orifices of the gastric 

 follicles. 



these coeca, when sufficiently magnified (Fig. 68), is found to be composed of 

 a delicate basement-membrane (a), inflected over a series of nearly globular 

 cells (6) 1 which occupy almost the whole cavity of the tube, and which con- 

 tain a finely granular matter ; the narrow passage left vacant in the centre, 

 however, still surrounded by a layer of epithelial cells (c), whose small size 

 is in striking contrast to the large dimensions of the gland-cells. When a 

 transverse section is made through a cluster of caeca connected with a single 

 external orifice, they are found to be held together in a bundle (Fig. 69) 

 by the interposition of areolar tissue, a thicker layer of which .surrounds 

 the whole fasciculus, and isolates it from others: whilst between the creca 

 are observed the orifices (a, a) of the divided capillary vessels which puss 

 up amongst them. A different type of glandular structure presents itself 

 in an annular zone around the cardia, and especially also in the region of 

 the pylorus ; the superficial orifice leading into a long and wide follicle 

 (Fig. 70, a), lined with cylinder epithelium, and branching out, as it ap- 

 proaches the submucous tissue, into a small number of short follicles (b, 6), 

 still lined by an epithelium of the same kind. The columnar cells found 

 in both kinds of glands probably produce the mucous secretion of the 

 stomach ; but the pepsin there is every reason for believing is chiefly 



1 Heidenhain's Belegzellcn (investing cells) ; Rollet's delomorphous cells ; Jukns's 

 polygonal cells. 



