ANATOMY. 



ings and convolutions, into a comparative- 

 ly small space. These convolutions of the 

 small intestine occupy the chief part of 

 the umbilical and hypogastric regions of 

 the abflomen. They are connected in 

 their situation by means of a broad folded 

 membrane, called the mesentery. This 

 production of the peritoneum is about six 

 inches broad at its commencement, but it 

 expands gradually, something after the 

 manner of a fan, so that it becomes broad 

 enough, ultimately, to cover the whole 

 lengtn of the small intestine. It serves to 

 keep the different convolutions of the ca- 

 nal in a certain relative position, and al- 

 ]<>\\s, at the same time, a considerable 

 freedom of motion, without any danger of 

 intangling. In tracing the course of the 

 small intestine, we follow the duodenum 

 from the lesser extremity of the stomach, 

 in the right hypochondrium, making three 

 turns close on the backbone, and then 

 coming out just over the left kidney. The 

 general direction of the canal from this 

 point, independently of its various turn- 

 ings and windings, is towards the right 

 groin, where the ilium terminates by en- 

 tering the caecum. 



The small intestine possesses three 

 coats similar to those of the stomach, TI:. 

 an external or peritoneal ; a middle or 

 muscular ; and an internal, or villous, tu- 

 nic. The latter forms a great many trans- 

 verse, loose, and flouting processes, call- 

 ed valvulz conniventes ; by means of 

 which the extent of surface of the villous 

 oat is very much augmented. Numerous 

 glandular bodies are found in parts of the 

 canal, collected into small parcels, and 

 kenre tailed glandulae agminatae. 



The food which is reduced by the ac- 

 tion of the stomach into an homogeneous 

 mass, called chyme, enters the small in- 

 testine, where it undergoes a further 

 change, and becomes chyle. It w pro- 

 pelled along the canal by the muscular 

 oat of the intestine, and the villous tu- 

 Jiic absorbs from it the nutritions parti- 

 cles. It passes along every turn and wind- 

 ing of this long canal, continually subject- 

 ed to the action of the absorbing vessels. 

 The residue of the alimentary matter is 

 sent into the large intestine, from which 

 it is expelled in the form of faeces. 



The large intestine is a canal of about 

 twoorthrec inches in diameter, and seven 

 feet in length. It is divided into the cae- 

 cum, colon, and reetum. The ccccnm is a 

 bag situated in the right groin, and i 

 ing the termination of the ilium. The 

 latter interstice enters in such a manner, 

 that the passage of the aliment is allowed 



VOL. I 



from it into the ccecum, but prevented 

 from returning. The part which effects 

 this is called the valvuja coli. A small 

 process, about equal in size to an earth- 

 worm, is connected to the caecum. It is 

 called appendix cocci vermiformis, and its 

 use is unknown. 



From the right groin the intestine 

 ascends on the right side of the abdomen 

 over the kidney, under the name of co- 

 lon: itturns completely over the abdomen 

 at the upper part, and descends along the 

 left side to the left groin ; here it make* 

 a large turn over the brim of the pelvis, 

 and enters that cavity, where it takes the 

 name of rectum, which terminates at the 

 anus. We distinguish in the colon 'he right 

 or ascending portion; the middle or trans- 

 verse arch ; the left or descending ; and 

 the sigmoid flexure. The right and ieft 

 portions of this gut are closely bound 

 down in their situations by two portion* 

 of peritoneum, called 1 i gain enti coli. The 

 transverse arch has a broad process con- 

 nected to it, by which it is loosely attach- 

 ed : this is called the mesocolon. 



The large intestines have a peritoneal, 

 a muscular, and a villous coat ; but they 

 have no valvulx conniventes. The longi- 

 tudinal muscular fibres are collected into 

 three bands, \\hich, being shorterthantlie 

 rest of the intestine, occasion the other 

 coats to be gathered up in folds between 

 them, smd thereby give the intestine asac- 

 culated appearance. 



The residue of the alimentary matter, 

 which the large ipcestine receives from 

 the small, in c<><nerted in the former ca- 

 nal into a substance of peculiar odour, 

 colour. nd consistence, called faces; in 

 whjcfi form it is expelled from the body. 



farts subservient to the functions of the ati- 



mentary canal, and contained in flu: cavity 



of tlie abdomen. 



The liver is the largest glandular mass 

 in the body, and is placed towards the 

 right side of the epigastric region. Its 

 thickest portion fills the right hypochon- 

 drium; a thinnerpart of the gland extends 

 across the middle of the epigastric region 

 to the left hypochondrium. Its size is 

 greater in proportion as the animal is 

 > mincer. In the adult it is contained 

 within the cartilages of the ribs; but in 

 the t'a-tus it extends to the navel, and fills 

 half the belly. Its upper surface is con- 

 vex, and in close contact with the concave 

 under surface ofthe diaphragm. Its under 

 or concave surfar- < fly on the 



stomach. It is divided into a right and 

 left lobe, andlobulus spigelii. It has a 



Bh 



