SEROUS OR EXTERNAL COAT OF THE STOMACH. 33 



of the stomach is in the left hypochondriac region, and the lesser 

 extremity in the epigastric region under the left lobe of the 

 liver. The upper orifice, or Cardia, is nearly opposite to the 

 body of the last dorsal vertebra ; and owing to the curverf form 

 of the stomach, the other orifice or Pylorus, is situated at a 

 small distance to the right of that bone, and rather lower and 

 more forward than the cardia : both orifices being in the epigas- 

 tric region. The position of the stomach is oblique in two 

 respects ; it inclines in a small degree from above downwards, 

 from the left to the right ; and it also inclines downwards and 

 forwards, from behind. Its two orifices are situated obliquely 

 with respect to each other; for if the stomach, when placed 

 with its small curvature upwards, were divided into two equal 

 parts by a vertical plane passing lengthways through it, they 

 would be found on different sides of the plane. 



As the oesophagus terminates in the stomach immediately 

 after it has passed through an aperture of the diaphragm, it 

 is evident that the stomach must be somewhat fixed at that 

 place ; but it is more movable at its other orifice ; for the 

 extremity of the (iuodenum, into which it is continued, is 

 movable. 



The stomach is connected to the concave surface of the liver 

 by the reflection or continuation of the peritoneum which forms 

 the lesser omentum. This membrane, after extending over each 

 surface of the stomach, continues from its great curve in the 

 form of the large ornentum, and connects it to different parts, 

 especially to the colon. There are likewise folds of the perito- 

 neum, as it passes from the diaphragm and from the spleen to 

 the stomach, which appear like ligaments. 



Notwithstanding these various connexions, the stomach 

 undergoes considerable changes in its position. When it is 

 nearly empty, and the intestines are in the same situation, 

 its broad surfaces are presented forwards and backwards ; but 

 when it is distended, these surfaces are presented obliquely 

 upwards and downwards, and the great curvature forwards. 

 When its anterior surface is presented upwards, its orifices 



