34 SEROUS OR EXTERNAL COAT OF THE STOMACH. 



are considerably influenced in their direction, and the oesopha- 

 gus forms an angle with the plane of the stomach. 



The stomach is composed of four dissimilar lamina, which may 

 be demonstrated by a simple process of dissection. 



There is a first coat or external covering continued from the 

 peritoneum : within this, and connected to it by delicate cellular 

 substance, is a coat or stratum of muscular fibres : contiguous 

 to these fibres, internally, is a layer of dense cellular sub- 

 stance, called a nervous coat; and last is the internal coat 

 of the stomach, called villous or fungous, from the structure of 

 its surface. 



The external or first coat of the stomach, as has been already 

 stated, is continued from the concave surface of the liver to the 

 lesser curve of the stomach in two delicate lamina, which 

 separate when they approach the stomach, and pass down, 

 one on each side of it, adhering firmly to it in their course: 

 at the opposite curve of the stomach they again unite to form 

 the great omentum. The stomach is therefore closely invested 

 by the peritoneum on every part of its surface except two 

 strips, one at the lesser and the other at the greater curvature. 

 These strips or uncovered places are formed by the separation 

 of the lamina above mentioned, which includes a triangular 

 space bounded by the stomach and these two lamina. In these 

 triangular spaces, at each curvature of the stomach, are situat- 

 ed the blood-vessels which run along the stomach in those 

 directions, and also the glands which belong to the absorbent 

 vessels of this viscus. The peculiar arrangement of the lamina 

 at this place is particularly calculated to permit the dilatation 

 of the stomach. When it is dilated, the lamina are in close 

 contact with its surface, and the blood-vessels being in the 

 angle formed by the adhesion of the two lamina to each other, 

 are so likewise: when it contracts, the blood-vessels appear to 

 recede from it, and the lamina are then applied to each 

 other. 



Where the peritoneum thus forms a coat to the stomach, it 

 is stronger and thicker than it is between the liver and stomach. 

 In a recent subject it is very smooth and moist, but so thin 



