564 



THE INTESTINES. 



pand upon the anterior and posterior surfaces. The^latter 

 come from the solar plexus, and accompany the arteries- 

 The lymphatics are numerous and traced to the glands 

 along the curvatures. 



Function. The stomach is the organ in which and by 

 FlG - 18 - which is performed 



the first and most 

 important step in di- 

 gestion, the conver- 

 sion of the food into 

 a soft grayish homo- 

 geneous, and slight- 

 ly acid fluid called 

 chyme ; this change 

 is effected through 

 the agency of the 

 gastric fluid, which 

 is brought into con- 

 tact and thoroughly blended with every particle of aliment, 

 by means of the motion communicated to both through the 

 muscular apparatus of the stomach. 



THE INTESTINES, (Fig. 175.) 



The intestines comprise the whole of the alimentary 

 canal, from the stomach to the anus. The length of this 

 canal averages from thirty to thirty-five feet, though it 

 measures more when separated from its connections and 

 stretched out. Its size varies, and its shape is cylindrical. 

 The intestines are divided into the small and large intestine. 



The small intestine is subdivided into the duodenum, the 

 jejunum, and the ilium. 



The large intestine into the coecum, the colon, and the 

 rectum. 



FIG. 180 represents the Arteries of the Stomach and its relation to the 

 liver, pancreas, spleen, and duodenum. 1 Liver. 2 Stomach. 3 Duodenum. 

 4 Pancreas. 5 Spleen. 6 Cardiac artery. 7 Gastric artery. 8 Hepatic ar- 

 tery. 9 Pyloric. 11 Right gastro epiploic. 17 Left gastro epiploic. 13 

 Cystic. 14 Splenic. 15 Pancreatic. 16 Vasa-brevia. 18 Superior mesen- 

 teric artery. 



