CHAPTER I. II 

 THE MECHANISMS OF BSTION Cont'd) 



THE MOVEMENTS OF THE STOMACH 



The Character of the Movements 



Even from the earliest days it has been recognized that the stomach 

 performs two important functions: (1) receiving the swallowed fi 

 and then discharging it slowly into the intestine, and -J initiating the 

 chemical processes of digestion. In order to understand the mechanism 



by which the stomach collects and then discharges the food, it is n»- 

 sary first of all to recall certain anatomic facts concerning tin- org 

 and for this purpose it is most convenient to accept the description 

 given by Cannon, which is illustrated in the accompanying figure. The 

 oriran is divided into a cardiac and a pyloric portion by a deep notch in 

 the Lesser curvature, called the incisura angularis. The cardial- porl 

 is further subdivided into two by the cardiac orifice. The part which 

 lies, in man. above a line drawn horizontally through the cardia is I 

 fundus. The part lying between the fundus and the incisura angularis 

 is known as the body of the stomach, which, when full, has a ta] 

 shape. The pyloric portion Lying on the right of the incisura angul 

 is further divided into two parts: the pyloric vestibule and the pyl< 

 • •anal, the latter of which lies next the pyloric sphincter and in man 

 measures about 3 em. in Length see Pig. 154 . 

 The filled stomach of a person standing erect is so disposed that I 

 atest curvature forms its lowest point, which may be Lerably 



below the umbilicus. An digestion proceeds and the stomach empl 



the greater curvature becomes gradually raised, so that ultimately the 

 pylorus comes to be the most dependent part of ti mach. From 



these and many other observations it is certain that the emptying 

 Stomach does not at all depend on the operation of the ■ ity. 



Indeed, that this can not be the case IS perfectly clear when Wt 



sider the disposition of the stomach in quadrupeds. 

 Exact observation on the movements which the Btomacl 



the time it is tilled with food till it empties, ha 



x-ray method, firsl introduced by Cannon." The metl 



