DIGESTIVE SYSTEM 319 



further increased by numerous minute projections 

 called villi. 



As before stated, the secretions from three kinds 

 of glands are poured into the small intestine. The 

 intestinal glands are embedded in the Avails of the 

 intestine. The other two glands are the liver and the 

 pancreas. 



Liver. The liver is the largest gland in the body. It 

 is a dark red mass and lies just under the diaphragm. 

 On the inner side of it is located a small sac, the gall 

 bladder. In this the bile, secreted by the liver, is 

 stored until it is needed. The duct from the liver enters 

 the small intestine just below the stomach. 



Pancreas. The pancreas, often called sweet breads, 

 lies just below the stomach. It secretes a digestive fluid 

 called the pancreatic juice. This enters the intestine 

 through the same duct as the bile. 



Peritoneum and mesentery. Lining the abdominal 

 cavity there is a thin moist membrane, the peritoneum. 

 From the back it folds over the organs of the abdomen 

 and forms their outer covering. The stomach and the 

 twenty-five or thirty feet of intestines are suspended by 

 a double fold of peritoneum. This is known as the 

 mesentery and is attached to the body wall in the upper 

 part of the abdominal cavity. The organs hang loosely 

 suspended in this cavity. The manner of their suspen- 

 sion and their smooth outer covering give the loops of 

 the intestines perfect freedom of motion on each other. 



