THE DIAPHRAGM, OR MIDRIFF 249 



escape injury. It is attached to the left half of the 

 great curvature of the stomach, but the chief portion 

 of it lies behind and rather above the stomach. Its 

 anterior end comes in contact with the left lobe of 

 the liver ; its posterior is connected to the left 

 kidney, and concealed by the convolutions of the 

 colon. The particular use of the spleen has never 

 been yet satisfactorily ascertained. 



Great enlargement and also rupture of the spleen 

 has been noticed after the death of horses ; but little is 

 known of the causes nor the symptoms which indicate 

 disease of this organ. 



THE PANCREAS. 



This organ is situated between the stomach and 

 left kidney. It lies across the spine, within the 

 epigastric region, underneath the crura of the 

 diaphragm, immediately behind and a little above 

 the small curvature of the stomach. Its structure 

 bears a strong resemblance to that of the salivary 

 glands, contiguous to the mouth, and secretes a fluid 

 very much resembling common saliva. This fluid is 

 conducted into the intestines by a duct, which enters 

 at the same aperture with that which proceeds from 

 the liver. There is every reason to believe that this 

 fluid aids digestion, but in what way has not been 

 ascertained. 



THE DIAPHRAGM, OR MIDRIFF. 



The cavity of the chest consists of two compart- 

 ments, and the division or separating wall between 

 which is called the diaphragm, as more fully described, 

 page 241. See fig. 2, i, i, and fig. i, k. 



