8 THE COMMON COLICS OF THE HORSE 



The Peritoneum. — The parietal layer is very loosely 

 attached to the abdominal walls, which fact constitutes 

 an important practical point in connection with opera- 

 tions performed in its vicinity. The parietal portion 

 occasionally forms part of a hernial sac, but not always, 

 as owing to its slight elasticity it more often ruptures. 

 The posterior surface of the bladder and a portion of the 

 rectum and vagina are all uncovered by peritoneum — 

 points to be remembered in connection with the surgery 

 of these parts. 



The Stomach presents several details of great sur- 

 gical importance : its small size, the presence of an 

 arrangement usually preventing vomition, its position in 

 the abdomen, and its shape, are all points of great interest 

 to us, and have a direct bearing on many of the diseases 

 affecting it. It is situated in the left hypochondrium, 

 but under distension extends into the epigastric and 

 right hypochondriac regions. The organ is suspended 

 from left to right (cardia to pylorus), obliquely down- 

 wards, with the lesser curvature looking towards the 

 right side ; the stomach is situated principally to the 

 left of the spine, in apposition with the diaphragm, and 

 extends from near the last ribs on the left side to the 

 upper surface of the colon on the right half of the body. 

 To the right it is in contact with the liver, the left 

 extremity being in apposition with the spleen, diaphragm, 

 left kidney, and left prerenal capsule, whilst inferiorly 

 it rests on the double colon at the sternal curve, which 

 prevents the stomach, no matter what its state of dis- 

 tension may be, from ever being in actual contact with the 

 abdominal walls. The oesophagus enters the stomach at 

 the lesser curvature, and, owing to the peculiarity of its 

 arrangement, prevents, under ordinary circumstances, 

 anything from passing through it in the reverse direction. 



