THE
DOMESTIC ENCYCLOPÆDIA.
ABDOMEN, or the lower belly, is one of the most important regions of the human body, not only on account of its various contents, but also from its exposed situation.
Although, to give a strictly anatomical description of the different parts composing the admirable fabric of the animal frame, is not consistent with the plan of this work, yet, where the welfare and safety of the body are essentially concerned, we propose to add a distinct explanation of the organs liable to injury, and, occasionally, to point out their proper management in a healthy state, together with a few hints for treating complaints, the source of which is frequently not suspected.
The abdomen extends, longitudinally, from that cavity, or hollow, which is usually called the pit of the stomach, to the lower part of the trunk: it is defended, in front, by the abdominal muscles; behind, by the vertebræ of the back; and, on both sides, by the false ribs.
Instead of perplexing the reader with a minute account of the three regions, into which the lower belly is divided by anatomists, namely, the upper, or epigastric; the middle, or umbilical; and the lower, or hypogastric region; we shall rather proceed to examine their different contents.
In the first place, it deserves to be remarked, that the whole intestinal canal forms one continued tube, of greater or less capacity, beginning with the stomach, and terminating at the anus. This canal is, generally, six times the length of the whole human subject, in proportion to the person's stature, and is by Nature divided into two distinct parts; namely, the anterior, or uppermost, that is next to the stomach, comprizing what are called the thin, or small intestines, which fill the middle, or fore parts, of the belly; and the posterior, or lowermost, where we find the large intestines occupying the sides, and both the upper and lower parts of that cavity. The former are again divided into the duodenum, or twelve-inch gut; the jejunum, or empty gut, and the ileum, or crooked gut; and the latter, or larger portion, into the cæcum, or blind gut; the colon, or hollow gut, being the largest of all the intestines; and the rectum, or the straight excretory gut, which terminates in the anus.
On opening the abdomen, we ob-
