The Stomach and Spleen. 181 



III. THE STOMACH AND SPLEEN. 



The cavity disclosed by the division of the abdominal wall is the 

 peritoneal cavity (cavum peritonaei), the largest of the four 

 great serous sacs representing the primary body-cavity, or COelom 

 (p. 98). The major portion of the cavity is abdominal, but it 

 extends into the pelvis, and, in the male, also into the scrotal sacs. 

 Its lining membrane is that appearing on the body-wall as the 

 parietal peritoneum, noted above, and on the visceral structures 

 as the visceral peritoneum (peritonaeum viscerale). The 

 visceral structures here include the major portions of the digestive 

 and. urinogenital systems. 



The general relations of the visceral peritonaeum should first be 

 examined by raising a portion of the small intestine from the left 

 side of the visceral mass. Note its enclosure by a complete serous 

 coat, similar in appearance to the membrane covering the body 

 wall, and the extension of the la iter into a mesentery for the 

 support of the structure from the dorsal body-wall. Note the 

 parallel arrangement of the arteries and. veins, and also their 

 frequent anastomoses. Lymphatic vessels (lacteal vessels) 

 accompany the bloodvessels in the mesentery, but being trans- 

 parent are not readily recognizable. Lymph nodes also occur, 

 but in this portion of the mesentery they are aggregated at its 

 dorsal attachment, or root (radix mesenterii). 



For the general relations of the stomach see p. 82 and Fig. 42. 



I. Displace the posteroventral portion of the liver forward, 

 exposing in this way the ventral surface of the stomach. Without 

 injuring the enclosing peritoneum, examine the contour of the organ 

 and its divisions, as follows: 



(a) The greater curvature (curvatura ventriculi major), its 

 convex posterior surface. 



(b) The lesser curvature (curvatura ventriculi minor), the 

 contracted, concave anterior surface. 



(c) The main portion, or body of the stomach (corpus ventriculi) . 

 It lies for the most part to the left of the median plane. 



(d) The cardia, or area of junction with the oesophagus. 



(e) The fundus, a small sac-like portion lying to the left of the 

 cardia. 



