416 



OF FOOD, AND THE DIGESTIVE PROCESS. 



Fig. 124. 



faces of the rugae the orifices of the follicles lie singly in the interspaces of the 

 capillary network (Fig. 126, A). But a large proportion of the surface exhibits 

 a sort of honeycomb appearance, being divided by partition-like elevations into 



pits which are more or less circular or hex- 

 agonal in form, their usual diameter being 

 from 100th to 1-2 50th of an inch, and their 

 depth variable ; in the bottom of each of 

 these pits, from three to five (and some- 

 times more) orifices of the gastric follicles 

 may be seen (Fig. 125). The ridges which 

 divide these pits or alveoli are highly vas- 

 cular ; and the orifices of the follicles lie, 

 as before, in the interspaces of a capillary 

 network which covers the floor of each de- 

 pression. As we pass towards the pyloric 

 portion of the stomach, however, the ridges 

 which divide the alveoli become more and 

 more elevated, and present conical elonga- 

 tions at certain points; and these elonga- 

 tions become more and more marked, until, 



Fig. 125. 



Vertical section of a stomach cell, with its 

 tubes : A in the middle region, B in the pyloric 

 region, a a. Orifices of the cells on the inner 

 surface of the stomach, b b. Different depths at 

 which the columnar epithelium is exchanged 

 for glandular, c. Pyloric tube, or prolonged 

 stomach cell. d. Pyloric tubes, terminating 

 variously, and lined to their extremities with 

 sub-columnar epithelium. 



From the dog, after twelve hours' fasting. 

 Magnified 200 diameters. 



Portion of the Mucous Membrane of the Stomach, show- 

 ing entrances to the gastric follicles in pits upon its surface. 



in the neighborhood of the pyloric orifice, 

 they assume the form and appearance of 

 the villi of the small intestine (Fig. 126, 

 B), being, however, of much smaller size, 

 and destitute of the lacteal absorbents which 

 give to the latter their distinctive charac- 

 ter. 1 Of the contents of the gastric folli- 

 cles, an account has been already given 

 ( 235); from which it is obvious that here, as elsewhere, the peculiar product 

 which it is their province to elaborate and discharge, is prepared by the agency 

 of the cells which are successively generated in their interior. 



1 See Dr. Sprott Boyd's "Inaugural Dissertation on the Mucous Membrane of the 

 Stomach," in the "Edinb. Med. and Surg. Journ.," vol. xlvi. ; Dr. Todd's "Gulstonian Lec- 

 tures on the Physiology of the Stomach," in the "Medical Gazette," 1839; and a Memoir 

 by Dr. Neill on the " Structure of the Mucous Membrane of the Human Stomach," in the 

 " Amer. Journ. of Med. Sci.," Jan. 1851. Dr. Neill's object has been to bring prominently 

 into view the villous structure of the pyloric portion of the stomach, and the arrangement 

 of the capillaries in other parts. In his exclusive attention to these, however, he has 

 under-estimated the import of the orifices of the gastric follicles, which he speaks of as 

 "simply the subdivisions of the cells into smaller and deeper ones by the arrangement of 

 the bloodvessels." There cannot be the slightest doubt that this arrangement of the 

 bloodvessels is altogether subordinate to the existence and functional activity of the gastric 

 follicles. 



