The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latine and compared with the French. by Th: Johnson

CHAP. XIIII. Of the Ventricle or Stomacke.

NOw we must speake of the Stomacke, the receptacle of the food necessa∣rie for the whole body, the seate of appetite, by reason of the nerves dispersed into its upper orifice, and so into its whole substance. The sub∣stance * 1.1 thereof is rather spermaticke than sanguine, because that for one fleshie membrane, it hath two nervous; The quantitie or magnitude of * 1.2 the ventricle is diverse, according to the various magnitude of bodies, and gluttony of men. The figure of it is round and somewhat long, like a Bagpipe. The stomacke * 1.3 is composed of two proper coates, and one common from the Peritonaeum, toge∣ther * 1.4 with veines, sinewes, and arteries; the innermost of its proper coates is mem∣branous woven with right fibers, for the attraction of meats, it is extended and pro∣pagated even to the mouth thereof, whereby it comes to passe that the affections of one part may easily be communicated to the other by sympathy, or consent. This coate hath its originall from the membranes of the braine which accompany the * 1.5 nerves descending from the third and fourth conjugation to the mouth thereof. And in like sort from other productions descending by the passages of the head, from whence also another reason may be drawne from that, which they commonly bring from the nerves of the sixt conjugation; why in wounds of the head, the sto∣macke doth so soone suffer by consent with the braine. The exterior, or outer is more fleshie and thicke, woven with oblique fibers, to retaine and expell. It drawes it ori∣ginall from the Pericranium, which as soone as it comes to the gullet, takes unto it cer∣taine fleshie fibers. There be nerves sent into the stomacke from the sixt conjugation of the braine, as it shall be shewed in its proper place. Veines and arteries are spread into it from the Gastrica, the Gastrepiploides, the Coronaria and splenicke, from the se∣cond, third, and fourth distribution of the vena Porta, or gate-veine; and the third of the descendent artery to the naturall parts, as soone as it passes forth of the midriffe.

It is one in number. The greater part of it is situated on the left side betweene the spleene, the hollownesse of the liver, and the guts, that assisted by the heate of such * 1.6 neighbouring parts, it may more cheerefully performe the concoction of the meate. Neither am I ignorant that Galen hath written, that a great part of the stomacke lies * 1.7 on the left side. But inspection it selfe, and reason makes me derogate from Galens authority, for because there is more emptie space on the left side, by reason the spleene is lesse than the liver, it was fit it should lie more on the left side. The more * 1.8 proper connexion of it is with the gullet and guts, by its two orifices; with the braine by its nerves; with the liver and spleene by its veines; with the heart•…•… its arteries; and with all the naturall parts by its common membrane.

The temper of the ventricle in men of good habite, is temperate, because it is almost composed of the equall commixture of sanguine and spermaticke parts; or * 1.9 according to Galens opinion, it is cold of its selfe, and by the parts composing it; * 1.10 and hot by the vicinitie of the bowels. But in some it is hotter, in others colder, ac∣cording to the diverse temper and complexion of diverse bodies. That stomacke is to bee thought well tempered, that powerfully drawes downe the meate and drinke, and embraces and retaines them so drawne, untill by concoction and elixa∣tion, they shall be turned into a juyce like creame (which the Greekes call Chylos;) and lastly, which doth strongly send from it, and repell the excrem••nts of this first concoction.

The stomacke is knowne to be hotter by this, that it better concocts and digests * 1.11 course and hard meates, as beefe, hard egges, and the like, than soft •…•… digestion, which it corrupts and turnes into belchings. For so a young, 〈…〉〈…〉 sooner burnt than well rosted at a great fire. The stomacke which is colder, 〈…〉〈…〉 much meate, but is slow in concocting them, especially if they be cold and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of digestion, which for that cause quickly turne sowre. The action of a well conditio∣ned stomacke, is twofold, one common, another proper. The common is to attenu∣ate * 1.12 mixe and digest the meates taken in at the mouth, for the nutrition of it selfe

and the whole body, after the liver hath performed its dutie, which before it be done, the ventricle onely enjoyes the sweet pleasure of the Chylus, and comforts its selfe against the heate and impuritie of the adjacent parts, wherefore it is called the worke-house of concoction. Its first action is to attract, retaine, and assimulate to it selfe that which is convenient; but to expell whatsoever shall be contrary, either in quantitie, or qualitie, or in the whole substance.

It hath two orifices, one above, which they commonly call the stomacke and heart, the other lower, which is called the Pylorus, or lower mouth of the stomacke. * 1.13 The upper bends to the left side neere the backe bone; it is farre more large and ca∣pacious than the lower, that so it may more commodiously receive meates halfe chewed, hard and grosse, which Gluttons cast downe with great greedinesse; it hath an exquisite sense of feeling, because it is the seate of the appetite, by reason of the nerves incompassing this orifice, with their mutuall embracings; whereby it happens that the ventricle in that part is endued with a quicke sense, that perceiving the want and emptinesse of meate, it may stirre up the creature to seeke foode. For albeit nature hath bestowed foure faculties on other parts, yet they are not sensible of their wants, but are onely nourished by the continuall sucking of the veines, as plants by juice drawne from the earth.

This orifice is seated at the fifth Vertebra of the chest, upon which they say it al∣most * 1.14 rests. Yet I had rather say that it lies upon the twelfth Vertebra of the chest, and the first of the loines; for in this place the gullet perforates the midriffe, and makes this upper orifice. The lower orifice bends rather to the right side of the body, un∣der the cavitie of the liver. It is farre straiter than the upper, lest any thing should passe away before it bee well attenuated and concocted; and it doth that by * 1.15 the helpe or assistance of, as it were a certaine ring, like to the sphincter muscle of the fundament, which some have thought a glandule made by the transposition of the inner and fleshie membrane of the ventricle into that which is the outer of the guts. I know Columbus laughes at this glandulous ring, but any one that lookes more attentively shall perceive that the Pylorus is glandulous. The stomacke in its lower and inner side, hath many folds and wrinckles, which serve to hold and containe the meates, untill they be perfectly concocted. In the ventricle wee observe parts gibbous and hollow; the hollow is next to the liver and midriffe; the gibbous is to∣wards the guts. Now we must note, that the ventricle when it is much resolved or loosed, may slide downe even to the navell neare the bladder, the which wee have * 1.16 observed in some bodies dissected after their death:

[illustration]

The third and fourth Figure.

The first figure shewes the fore-side of the sto∣macke and gullet.

A. sheweth the ori∣fice of the gullet cut frō the throate.

B. the straight and di∣rect course of the gullet from A. to B.

C. how the gullet a∣bove the first racke bone of the chest, from B. to C. in∣clineth to the right hand.

D. his inclination to the left hand, from C. to D.

EE. the two glan∣dules called the Al∣monds,

[illustration]

set close to the gullet in the end of the throate, called also Paristmia, Anti∣ades, Tonsilla and Salviares glandulae. FF. Another glandulous body in the midst of the gullet, about the fifth racke bone, from which place the gullet gives place to the great arterie, somewhat declining to the right side: Vesalius, Lib. 5, Cap. 3. and Co∣lumbus Cap. vlt. lib. 9. write, that those Glandules are filled with a certaine moisture, with which the gullet is moistened, that the meates may slide downe more easily in∣to the stomacke, as through a slippery passage. No otherwise than the Glandula pro∣stata, filled with a kind of grosse and oily moisture, smooth the passage of the urine, that so it may flow through it, with a more free and lesse troubled course. G. the connexion of the gullet with the stomack, where the upper orifice of the stomack is fashioned. H. the lower orifice of the stomacke called Pylorus. I. K. the upper part of the stomacke at I. the lower at K. LL. the foreside of the stomacke. P. the gut cal∣led Duodenum. T. V. the right and left nerves of the sixth paire encompassing about the gullet and the uppermost left orifice of the stomacke.

The second Figure sheweth the backe parts of the Ventricle and Gullet.

A. EE. FF. G. H: P. TV. shew the like parts as in the former. From C. to D. the inclination of the stomacke to the left hand. M. N. O. the backeside of the sto∣macke. M. sheweth the prominence of the left side. N. of the right. O sheweth the docke or impression, where it resteth upon the racke bones. Q. R. the passage of the bladder of the gall into the Duodenum at R. S, a glandulous body growing under the Duodenum, bearing up the vessels. X. Y. a nerve on the left side▪ creeping up to the top of the stomacke, and so running out to the liver.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What the ven∣tricle is.
• * 1.2

  The substance
• * 1.3

  The magni∣tude.
• * 1.4

  The figure. The compo∣sure.
• * 1.5

  The cause of the consent of the mouth and stomacke.
• * 1.6

  The number.
• * 1.7

  Lib. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vsu partium.
• * 1.8

  The connexi∣on.
• * 1.9

  The temper.
• * 1.10

  Lib. 9. Meth.
• * 1.11

  Notes of a hot stomacke,
• * 1.12

  The action twofold.
• * 1.13

  The two ori∣fices of the stomacke.
• * 1.14

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.15

  The glandu∣dulous ring of the Pylorus.
• * 1.16

  The falling downe of the stomacke.