ACTION OF THE STOMACH. 



333 



the introduction of water into the stomach* ( 464). Thirst may also be pro- 

 duced, however, by the impression made by peculiar kinds of food or drink 

 upon the walls of the alimentary canal; thus salted or highly-spiced meat, 

 fermented liquors when too little diluted, and other similarly irritating agents, 

 excite thirst ; the purpose of which is obviously to cause ingestion of fluid, by 

 which they may be diluted. 



444. The food which is propelled along the 03sophagus, enters the Stomach 

 through its cardiac orifice, in successive waves ; and it is immediately sub- 

 jected to a peculiar peristaltic movement, which has for its object to produce 

 the thorough intermixture of the gastric fluid with the alimentary mass, and 

 also to aid the solution of the latter by the gentle trituration to which it is thus 



[Fig. 82. 



A front view of the Stomach, distended by flatus, with the Peritoneal Coat turned off; 1, anterior face of 

 the oesophagus ; 2, the cul-de-sac, or greater extremity ; 3, the lesser or pyloric extremity; 4, the duodenum ; 

 5, 5, a portion of the peritoneal coat turned back ; 6, a portion of the longitudinal fibres of the muscular 

 coat; 7, the circular fibres of the muscular coat; 8, the oblique muscular fibres, or muscle of Gavard; 9, 

 a portion of the muscular coat of the duodenum, where its peritoneal coat has been removed.] 



A view of the interior of the Stomach, as given by the removal of its anterior parietes ; 1, oesophagus ; 2, 

 cardiac orifice of the stomach ; 3, its greater extremity, or cul-de-sac; 4, the greater curvature ; 5, line of 

 the attachment of the omentum majus; 6, the muscular coat; 7, the anterior cut edge of the mucous coat; 

 8, the rugae of the mucous coat; 9. the lesser curvature; 10, the beginning of the duodenum; 11, pyloric 

 orifice, or valve ; 12, the first turn of the duodenum downwards.] 



* This was among the remarkable results of the injection of fluid into the veins, in the 

 Asiatic Cholera. 



