gastric, a.
(ˈgæstrɪk)
[f. Gr. γαστ(ε)ρ-, γαστήρ stomach + -ic.]
a. Of or pertaining to the stomach; situated in, performed by or in, the stomach; of the nature of a stomach. gastric fever, a term somewhat loosely employed, but now usually signifying enteric or typhoid fever. gastric patient (rare): one suffering from gastric diseases.
| 1656 Blount Glossogr. s.v. Vein, Gastrick vein, the belly veine; a branch of the Port veine, from which it descends to the hallow part and backside of the ventricle. 1727–51 Chambers Cycl., Gastric..in anatomy, is applied to divers veins on account of their proceeding from the stomach. 1796 Duncan Ann. Med. I. 68 The author saw evidently gastric patients sinking under a load of the Peruvian bark. 1802 Med. Jrnl. VIII. 436 Symptoms that widely differ from those which are to be observed in gastric fevers. 1822–34 Good's Study Med. (ed. 4) I. 633 [Mild remittent fever] is..called by Professor Frank..gastric fever. 1830 R. Knox Béclard's Anat. 12 In other animals..the gastric cavity has prolongations which extend into the mass of the body. 1834 M{supc}Murtrie Cuvier's Anim. Kingd. 458 The domicile of the larvæ is of three kinds..cutaneous, cervical, and gastric. 1842 E. Wilson Anat. Vade M. 302 The Gastric Artery ascends between the two layers of the lesser omentum to the cardiac orifice of the stomach. 1850 Fraser's Mag. XLII. 540 They..have left on record gastric achievements to be envied by aldermen of the most giant appetite. 1854 Carpenter Princ. Phys., Gen. & Compar. iii. 163 The great purpose of the gastric digestion appears to be, to dissolve the albuminous and gelatinous constituents of the food. 1872 Baker Nile Tribut. viii. 106 My wife was prostrated by a severe attack of gastric fever. 1876 tr. Wagner's Gen. Pathol. 13 Gastric catarrh. 1877 Huxley Anat. Inv. Anim. iii. 152 The oral aperture of an Actinozoon leads into a sac, which, without prejudice to the question of its exact function, may be termed ‘gastric’. |
b. gastric juice (formerly also gastric acid, gastric liquor): thin, clear, almost colourless fluid, of an acid nature, secreted by certain glands in the stomach, where it is the chief agent in the process of digestion.
| 1730–6 Bailey (folio), Gastrick juice. 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp., Bulimy..is a disorder of the stomach seated in the fibres thereof, or in the gastric liquor. 1794–6 E. Darwin Zoon. (1801) I. 439 There is at the same time a deficiency of gastric acid. 1799 Med. Jrnl. II. 79 The gastric juice of these birds. 1821 Byron Juan v. xxxii, Intellects, whose use Depends so much upon the gastric juice. 1845 G. E. Day tr. Simon's Anim. Chem. I. 85 Acetic acid has been found..in the gastric juice. 1889 M. Foster Text-bk. Phys. ii. (ed. 5) 365 The essential property of gastric juice is the power of dissolving proteid matters. |
c. gastric mill, a framework consisting of movable calcareous or chitinous plates in the stomach of certain crustacea.
| 1897 Parker & Haswell Text-bk. Zool. I. 547 A gastric mill is present in Malacostraca. 1927 Haldane & Huxley Anim. Biol. i. 7 Gastric mill, with grinding teeth and straining apparatus. 1967 Oceanogr. & Marine Biol. xv. 377 The masticatory apparatus or gastric mill. |