THE STOMACH. 



105 



THE STOMACH. 



The stomach is a conoidal sac, somewhat bent or curved, and is 

 situated in the left hypochondriac and epigastric regions. It is some- 

 what flattened anteriorly and posteriorly, and thus presents an an- 

 terior and posterior face ; its direction is oblique from above down- 

 wards, and from left to right. The left^ extremity is much the 

 larger, and terminates in a rounded cul-de-sac ; at the superior por- 

 tion of this extremity is the Cardiac orifice, where the oesophagus 

 is continued into the stomach immediately below the diaphragm. 

 The right extremity gradually diminishes in size, and its orifice is 

 called Pyloric^ , which is continuous with the small intestine. The 

 structure of the pylorus is much thicker than that of any other 

 portion. 



Fig. 85. 



The upper and lower 

 curvature of the sto- 

 mach are called the 

 greater and lesser cur- 

 vatures^^, near the 

 pyloric extremity of 

 the stomach, is a slight 

 dilatation^ called an- 

 trwni pylori. The di- 

 mensions of the sto- 

 mach are variable, de- 

 pending upon the mode 

 of life. It consists of 

 four coats ; peritoneal, 

 muscular, cellular, and 

 mucous. 



The Peritoneal coat 

 completely covers the 

 stomach, except at the 

 curvatures, where are attached the omentum ; the looseness of which 

 adhesion at these points admits of the distension of these remaining 

 coats. 



The Muscular coat is not so thick as that of the oesophagus, and 

 its fibres pass both in a circular'' and longitudinal^ direction, (see 

 Fig. 86.) Some of the muscular fibres which pass obliquely round 

 the left extremity, constitutes the muscle of Gavard. The circu- 

 lar fibres are most numerous near the pyloric orifice, and the longi - 

 tudinai fibres are most distinct upon the lesser curvature. 



The Cellular coat connects the muscular and mucous ; it serves 

 for the transmission of vessels and nerves, and can readily be in- 

 flated ; when dl'ied, it resembles cotton. 



