THE STOMACH. 397 



exfoliated patches 011 the surface of tliis layer. This is a sufficient indication of the 

 activity of the secretion of the epithelium, and the rapidity of its renovation. 



Ketiouli'M (Honeycomb) (Figs. 192, 193).— Situation— Form— Belatinns.—Thh, the 

 smallest compartment, is elongated from one side to the other, sliglitly curved on itself, 

 and placed transversely betwetu the posterior face of the diaphragm, in one direction, 

 and the anterior extremity of the left sac of the ramen in the other ; the latter only 

 appearing, externally, to be a prolongation, or a diverticulum of the rumen. 



It has two faces, two curvatures, and two extremities. The anterior face adheres to 

 the phrenic centre of the diaphragm by cellular tissue. The posterior face lies against 

 the anterior extremity of the rumen. The great inferior or coneex curvature occupies 

 the suprasternul region. The lesser, superior, or concave curvature partly responds to 

 the lesser curvature of the omasum. The left extremity is only separated from the rumen 

 by a fissure, which lodges the inferior artery of the reticulum. The right extremity forms 

 a globular cjil-de-sac, in relation with the base of the abomasum. 



Interior (Fig. 193). — The internal surface of the reticulum is divided by ridges of 

 the mucous membrane into polyhedral cells, which, in their regular arrangement, look 

 like a honeycomb; tliey are widest and deepest in the cul-de-sac, and become gradually 

 smaller in approaching the superior curvature. The interior of these cells is divided 

 into smaller spaces, included one within the other, by secondary arrd successively-decreas- 

 ing septa. The principal septa offer on their free border a series of conical prolonga- 

 tions, with a rougli hard summit; while their faces are studded witli minute, blunt, or 

 pointed papillae. The secondary septa also show similar prolongations ; and those on 

 their free margin are even more developed than on the chief septa. Lastly, from the 

 bottom of the cells spring up a crowd of long, conical, and very pointed papilla, resem- 

 bling stalagmites in their arrangement. 



It may be noted that the foreign bodies so frequently swallowed by Euminants, are 

 usually lodged in the reticulum; therefore it is that at the bottom of the cells are ibund 

 either small stones, and needles or pins, often fixed in the intermediate septa, or nails, 

 scraps of iron, etc. The interior of the reticulum communicates with the left sac of the 

 rumen by the orifice already described, and with the omasum by a particular open- 

 ing, placed near the middle of the small curvature, though a little more to the right 

 than the left. -This opening, eight or ten times smaller than the preceding, is 

 oonnecteil with the infundibulum of the cardia by a remarkable groove (or channel), 

 the oesophageal, which wUl be described separately, as it does not properly belong to the 



Structure. The serous membrane does not cover all the anterior surface of the organ, 



as the latter adheres to the posterior face of the diaphragm. The m.uscular tunic is much 

 thinner than that of the paunch, and more fasciculated. The fibres pass in the same 

 direction The corium --of the mucous membrane sends a prolongation mto each of the 

 senta of the alveoli, and into each of the conical papillae on these septa, or to the bottom 

 of these alveoli. Tlie stratified pavement epithelium is very thick, and its horny layer 

 is very developed at the summit of the papilla)- 



CEsoPHAGBAL GhOOVE (Fig. 193).^This gutter is so named because it appea,rs to 

 continue the oesophagus to the interior of the stomach. It extends on the lesser 

 curvature of the reticulum from the cardia to the entrance of tlie omasum; cornmencing 

 Tthe rumen it belongs to the reticulum for the remainder of its extent. Measuring 

 from six Todght inches in length, this demi-canal is directed^from above downwards 

 anTfrom left to right, between two movable lips, which are fixed by the,r adherent 

 border^ the superior ;all of the reticulum. Th.se two lips are thickened at their free 

 border t° t"^ supe , ^^s and to the left. . At their ongm at the oesophageal 



margins which look downwams a ^evated ; but they.bebome thick and 



^S'on riv&e^r the orifice of th/omlsum which orifice they surround, though 



they neither -^f^^^:^rcoZtti:tt"n^st'LoU corrugated outwardly and 

 The mucous membrane coverii^^^^t f ^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ eharacters of the 



^"o%'/i::i mutus 'reiwe tblg smooth, white^nd ridged longitudinally ; near- 

 theUceoftheoma^mn^^^^^^^^^^^ 



If this niembrane bp removea^^^^ comprised between its two 



is observed: At the botWof t^e chgn^^^^^^^ The lips 



lips, are t'^n^^'^'^^?. """^'^lo^ed if^l^^^^^^^ m"^™!^'^ f''^"™^'' Particularly abun- 



themselves are entirely composed otiong^^^^ confounded with the proper fibres of the 

 dant towards the free border these t^sciou^ are carried from one lip to the other 



stomach towards tl'e ^xt em.t es of ^e ^^l;^'^^^-,.^^^,^ this canal. 



