THE STOMACH 



9()1 



(loMiiu.)- It is the narrowest jmrt of the difrcstive cnnal. Tlicrc is no siuli 

 special s])liinct('r apparatus at the ("inline end of thestomacli. tlic ri-soplia<.'Us passing' 

 directly into its walls, and hecominii: wider as it does so. \\'lien the stoniaeli is dis- 

 tended the fjullet may become a little l)ent at its jimctif)n with the stomach, and 

 the escape of fhiiil into the esophagus be thus i)revented. 



The two borders are situated above and below, and run l)etween the two 



Fiu. 566. — PosTEraoK Surfack of the Stomach. 



CARDIAC ORIFICE 



ANTRUM PYLORI 



orifices. Tlic upper is known as the lesser curvature, and is about three to tive inches 

 long; it is concave along its whole length, except near the pylorus, where it takes 

 l^art in the antrum pylori (fig. 567). The lower border is called the greater curva- 

 ture, and is convex except near the right extremity just before the formation of the 

 antrum pylori, where there is a slight depression. It is about four times as long as 

 the upper l^order. 



Fig. 567. — Anterior Surface of the Stomach. 

 pylorus cardiac orifice 



ANTRUM PYLORI 



The two surfaces lie between the two borders. They are of equal extent, and 

 are named the antiriorand ])(>sterior surfaces. 



Relations to surrounding parts. — The degree of obliquity of the stomach in 



its relations to the long axis of the body has been a disjiuted j>oint. the majority of 



authorities holding that it lies slightly obli(|Uely from left to rijrht: wliile a few 



(Luschka and T.esshaft ) maintain that its dirt ction is vertical. In an earlv period 



61 



