THE STOMACH 



481 



The stomach is situated on the left side of the abdominal cavity, im- 

 mediately behind the diaphragm. It resembles in shape the bag of the 

 Scotch bag-pipes, having two openings, two curvatures (a lesser and a 

 greater), two surfaces, and two sacs, which are generally divided by a 

 constriction as shown in the accompanying engraving. Its volume varies 

 with its contents, but in the horse of average size it will not contain 

 more than three gallons, while the stomach of man, whose weight is only 



Fig. 77.— The Stomach and Spleff. 



1. Pylorus (tied with a li;^atuie). 



2. 2. The pyloric sac. 



3. Cardiac orifice (tied). 



4. 4. The cardiac sac. 



6. 5. 5. The gi'eater curvature. 



6. 6. 6. The lesser curvature. 



7. 7. The spleen. 



S. 8. 8. Omentum attaching the stomach to the 

 spleen. 



one-eighth that of the horse, holds three quarts. It lies across the 

 abdomen, with its anterior surface in contact with the diaphragm on the 

 left side, and in the middle having the liver between it and the central 

 tendon of that muscle. Its posterior face is in contact with the colon ; 

 its inferior or larger curvature with the spleen, attached to it by the 

 omentum, and separated from the abdominal muscles by the curvatures 

 which the colon here makes. The left, or cardiac sac, is in contact with 

 the supero-lateral walls of the abdomen and the left extremity of the 

 pancreas, approximating to the anterior border of the left kidney. The 

 right, or pyloric sac, is in contact with the light lobe of the liver, and 

 the curvatures of the colon. Like the rest of the alimentary canal within 



