The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-08-24
The Much-Abused Stomach.
Where 1t is Located and What I
C Thrives on.

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From the Philadelphia Times.
The best way for the average reader
to get ah idea of the human body is to
think of it as Il complex machine, whose
harmonious working depends upon the
integrity of many subordinate and con
tanned parts. OF these subordinate
parts of the body none excel and few, if
any, equal in importance the stomach.
, Now, if the reader can imagine apear-
shaped white rubber bag, about twelve
inches in length, varying in width from
four inches at the widest to one and q
half inches at the nar,owest part, curved
upon itself, suspended crosswise in the
body, on Il line OF about the seventh
rib, c~onvexitv downward. with u lar4e
rounded extremity to the left side, we
will have a pretty fair idea Of what
and whore the stomach is.
AS has just been minated
the stomach is elastic; this fact, which
has doubtless many q time suggested it.
self to mothers of families OF growing
boys, is due to the presence of muscular
tissue IN the coats of the stomach, dis
posed in varying directions. Just here
It may be we'll to point out that the space
occupied by the stomach, and its tempo
rary shape Us well, depends much upon
It's contents. This circumstance can be
well illustrated by 50 common g thing as
a coin purse, al object whose corpul-
ence depends much upon its contents.
Every time we breathe the stomach is
moved up and down. When TODD Is IN
troduced into the stomach q series OF
movements are begun by the muscular
1,.g,,n- hot ,ra raforraA r., rhjph Mi 10
churning movement well calculated to
accomplish that for which it is intended,
viz: thorough mixing of the food matters
and digestive fluids. Into the upper
parts of the stomach 10 the left empties
the tube which leads from the throat.
At the right extremity Of the stomach
continuous with it's the beginning
Of the bowel. The outer surface
of the stomach, in common with all the
abdominal contents. is covered by q re-
duplication of the membrane-perlton
eum-lining that space The n sur
iace OF the stomach is a membrane,
somewhat like that lining the month and
throat; it is a network of small blood
vessels, in the interspaces between
which are placed the glands, which elab-
crate the digestive fluids. The lining
membrane of the stomach has in it
many folds and douplings to give in
creased surface with the minimum in
crease OF bulk. In persons who are no
very fat the interior of the stomach is
probably not over a half inch from the
skin. Occasionally the abdominal walls
are by accident or otherwise shot away,
leaving the stomach exposed, and per-
haps open, forming q gastric tistula.
The Canadian, St. Martin, who NAV be
remembered bv some of the older read.
ers of the Times, wal an illustration Of
this accident. In this individual the
process of digestion could be watched
through the opening in the stomach,
and was an object of much interest to
the physicians. A little above the stom-
ach, separated from it by a muscular
partition only, is the heart. The near
ness of these organs frequently occasion
them to be %confounded by the laity, es-
pecially by pain in that region. Igno-
ant and careless professional people
are easily misled by the same circum-
stance.
Allusion has already been made to GER
tain glands situated in the Innings of the
stomach and their duty, and to certain
events which occur upon the introdu@-
ton of food, and this is the whole duty
of the stomach. Indeed. it is no more
nor less than a vesselin which the food is
dissolved, and a filter where certain sub
stances. now prepared for USE, are siited
off into the blood vessels already men
toned. From the blood of the vessels
lining the stomach, pesnin and a free
acid are elaborated by the gastric glands
by the Churning movements following
the introduction of food, the contents
of the stomach, viz, food. pespin, free
acid and saliva, all thoroughly mixed,
and really a chemical process takes
place, the outcome Of Shich is that the
food matters are either wholly or partly
prepared for their entrance into the
blood. The working time of the stom-
ach is calculated to be twelve hours per
day, reckoning four hours for each mesl.
1t is believed tibet sleep arrests the pro-
cess just named, hence the folly of using
food requiring much digestion just pre-
vious to going to bed. The unique re-
suits produced by the free use Of minee
pie in h evening illustrates this matter
well.
All observant persons must have
noticed how quickly the appetite is TAX
en- away by unpleasant sights or sounds.
This is produced evidently by the effect
of the sights or sounds upon the heart
and the resultant changes of the circula-
ton of the stomach. On the other hand
a merry heart Is a continual least A
tired person "a not digest food. for
which reason the correct saying, ''Too
tired to eat"
An overworked stomach, Just like
any other machine, will soon begin to
complain, and if the overwork is con-
tinued the stomach becomes o common
vrumbler. If. however. the overwork
is only temporary. the stomach will Of
ten assert it's right by striking, asst were
and throwing off the offending matter.
lhe stomach is one of the doctors best
friends. Just impose upon your stomach
sufficiently and you will find it out TO
your sorrow. 1t is alsoa very good scope
goat for the doctors. The
scientific terms for the complainipgs
of the stomach are many. viz. in
digestion, apepsia, dyspepsia and what
not. The effects of these mal-conditlons
upon p pe1Aon's morale are well pigh in
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