THE STOMACH. 



1167 



Falciform 

 ligament (cut) 



Pyloric end of 

 stomach 



Subcostal line 



,/urvature becomes distended, and that portion of the border becomes convex in 

 tutline. 



The lesser curvature does not form a straight line along the surface of the 

 toinach, for at the left end it turns forwards somewhat on to the anterior surface 

 f the stomach, to the place where the cardiac orifice is situated. In length, the 

 esser curvature measures some 3 to 4 inches. 



Curvatura Ventriculi Major. The greater curvature of the stomach is usually 

 ver three times as long as the lesser curvature, and corresponds to a line drawn from 

 ; he cardia over the summit of the fundus (Fig. 916), and then along the most project- 

 ng portion of the stomach as far as the pylorus. In general, it is directed to the left 

 md forwards, but at its beginning, near the cardia, it of course looks in a different 

 lirection. The great curvature corresponds in the greater part of its length to the 

 ittachment of the gastro-splenic 

 md gastro-colic ligaments,folds of 

 )eritoneum passing to the spleen 

 md to the transverse colon respec- 

 ively ; and in close relation to it, 

 retween their layers, run the right 

 tnd left gastro-epiploic vessels. 



This border of the stomach, 

 ike the lesser curvature, does 

 lot present a uniformly curved 

 *utline. Towards the pylorus 

 i notch is often found, called the 

 ,ulcus intermedius. The portion 

 ,o the right of this sulcus is 

 mown as the pyloric canal. 



On the left side of this notch, 

 .he greater curvature bulges for- 

 . vards, forming a chamber called 

 <he antrum pyloricum, and the 

 )rojecting rounded prominence 

 vhich it forms is, in some phases 

 >f digestion, marked off from the 

 est of the body of the stomach 

 >y a temporary indentation. 

 Other indentations which are 

 ometimes found on the greater 

 :urvature, or the body of the 

 tomach, are probably due to 

 1 emporary peristaltic waves of 

 ontraction. 



Paries Anterior. The an- 

 erior surface of the stomach is 



Descending 

 colon 



SCALE IN INCHES 



SCALE IN CENTIMETRES 



FIG. 918. ABDOMEN OF FEMALE, SHOWING DISPLACEMENTS 

 RESULTING FROM TlGHT LACING. 



The liver is much enlarged, and extends on the left side to the 

 ribs, where it was folded back on itself for over an inch. 

 The pyloric end of the stomach and the beginning of the 

 duodenum are quite superficial below the liver, and all the 

 viscera are displaced downwards. (From a photograph of a 

 body hardened by injections of formalin.) 



nore convex and more extensive than the posterior. It lies, when the organ is 

 listended, in contact with the inferior surface of the left lobe of the liver medially, 

 - he vault of the diaphragm laterally, and the anterior abdominal wall below (Fig. 

 l>16). When the stomach is empty, on the other hand, the transverse colon doubles 

 ip in front of it, and separates its anterior surface from the liver and diaphragm 

 -nd abdominal wall. 



Paries Posterior. The posterior surface looks downwards and posteriorly. It 

 is more flattened than the anterior, and is moulded by the structures upon which 

 1 1 rests. 



Thus, to the left is a flattened area, passing on to the fundus, which is in con- 

 tact with the diaphragm and the spleen. To the right of the fundus, the posterior 

 .surface is divisible into two areas, lying in different horizontal planes, a superior 

 and an inferior, separated by a slight ridge. The superior portion, nearly vertical, 

 ies in contact with the left kidney and supra-renal gland and the diaphragm ; 

 tnd the inferior portion, more horizontal, is in contact with the pancreas, 



