244 



THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM 



those parts of the stomach which lie in relation to the anterior 

 abdominal wall and to the lower limit of the left pleural sac. 

 Superiorly, the note becomes resonant to light percussion as soon 

 as the lower border of the lung is reached. To the right side, 

 the tympanitic gastric area is bounded by the liver dulness, 

 and, to the left side, by the splenic dulness. Inferiorly, the 

 greater curvature of the stomach is closely related to the trans- 



FlG. 92. Anterior Aspect of the Trunk, showing the surface relations 

 of the liver, the stomach and the large intestine. 



NOTE. The reference lines are the same as those shown in Fig. 87. 



verse colon, which yields a tympanitic note of a somewhat 

 different quality on percussion (PI. II.). 



The area on the costal parietes of the left side which yields 

 a tympanitic gastric note to percussion under normal conditions 

 is termed Traube's Space. From the description which has 

 been given of the boundaries of this area, it will be clear that 

 hepatic enlargement encroaches on the space from the right 

 side, and that splenic enlargement encroaches on it from the 

 left side. When the upper border of the space is found to be 

 lower than normal, and formed by an area of absolute dulness, 

 the condition is due to an effusion into the left pleural sac. 



