340 ON THE ANATOMICAL PECULIARITIES 
This membrane is villous in structure and mucous in pro- 
perties. Its surface is smooth and velvet-like, of a fawn- 
colour, approaching to Sienna-yellow and it is nearly quite 
opaque ; at least it does not allow the muscular coat to be 
recognised through it, and it cannot be even denominated 
translucent, chiefly perhaps in consequence of the white 
opake corion. To the muscular coat it adheres by part only 
of its attached surface. The unattached parts are those 
which correspond to the folds, and which are mutually ap- 
plied without adhering to each other. The free surface is, 
as I have already stated, formed into several, perhaps a 
dozen, of longitudinal folds, which project, but do not hang 
loose into the cavity of the organ. The result of this ar- 
rangement is, that the mucous membrane is greatly more 
extensive than the muscular tunic and the peritoneum ; and 
its free surface presents an extent double, if not treble, of 
that which it would, if void of these folds. They were 
quite distinct in the recent state ; but, since the stomach 
was divided, they have entirely disappeared, so that the 
mucous surface is entirely uniform. 
Though I am averse to the introduction of speculations 
on the uses of particular arrangements in the description 
of mere anatomical facts, it may nevertheless not be alto* 
gether unseasonable to observe, that the provision of plim^ 
or folds, of the gastric mucous membrane, is not only 
connected with the anatomical fact of increasing the extent 
of surface, but is probably intended to allow the membrane 
to undergo a much greater degree of distention, than it 
could with safety, if void of these duplicatures. The sto- 
mach is an organ liable at all times, and in all classes, to 
* Here I may mention once for all, that, in speaking of the colours 
of parts, I use the nomenclature and distinctions of Werner as modi- 
fied by Professor Jameson in the useful tract of Mr Patrick Syme of 
this place. 
