The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1878-10-10
Recent Facts Abort Gastric Juice.

DR.. Charles Richet not very long ago
read a paper before the French academy
of sciences, in which he treated of the
acidity of the gastric juice in man. It
seems a new case has arisen, which at
fOrdS a chance for ocular observations Of
the work that goes on inside the stomach,
very much like the case of st, Martin,
who nearly thirty years ago was shown
here in Hartford DR.. Richet says that
for some time Professor Nerneuil had
a young patient under his care, who
labOrcd under the strange affection of
having his PsOphagus, or upper extremity
of the alimentaTy canal, so contracted as
to render the passage not only Of food or
drink, but even of an instrument, quite
impossible. The Professor had recourse
| to gastTOnomy, an operation until then
! considered mortal but which in this case
succeeded perfectly. An incisiOn made
inthe stomach, and kept open artifCially,
has been transformed into a regular
fistula, through which food and drink are
administered; and in this state the
young man not only lives, but is useful
servant of the hospital Mr.. Richet,
having devoted particular attention to
this subject, and examined the working
of the stomach day by day, through the
fistula in question, communicated the
results obtained to the academy. They
are as follows:
/. The average acidity of gastric juice,
whether pure or mixed with food, is
equal to l 7 grammes of hydro-chloric
acid per l 600 of liquid. It has never
been observed to be lower than 5 or
higher than 2.
2. The quantity of liquid contained in
/ the stomach exercises no influence on its
acidity, which remains nearly invariable,
whether the stomach Is empty or filled
with aliment.
8. Wine and alcohol increase the acid
ity of the stomach cane sugar diminishes
it.
4. If acid or alkaline liquids be inject
ed, the gastric ones tend rapidly to re-
sumo their normal acidity, so that, about
an hour after the injection, the stomach
has regained its average aCidity.
5. The gastric juice is more acid dur
ing digestion than before or after.
6. There is a slight increase of aCidity
towards the end of digestion.
Z. The sensations of hunger and thirst
do not depend either upon the state Of
aCidity or on that vaCuity of the stomach.
Such are the results as to aCidity, but
there are a few others 5f some interest.
Thus fecula-fat and neat-stay in the
stomach for three or four hours, milk is
digested in the course Of an hour and a
half, water and alcohol are absorbed
much faster, in the course of from thirty
five to forty-five minutes. Food is not
transmitted to the pylorus successively,
but all in q block.
This last curious observation we do not
remember as having been made in the
case of st. Martin, and it may possibly
refer to q personal pecUliarity of Professor
NeTneuiPs subject; the other points, re-
ferTing to the time required to digest fat,
meat, milk, etc, substantially confirm
the observations made in st. Martins
case, and embodied with others made an
interesting table presented at that time
by this paper. In regard to alcohol,
which in the Frenchman's patienti is 'ab-
sOrbed" so rapidly into the circulation,
it was found in st. Martins case that
taken directly after a meal it suddenly
arrested digestion. Itseemed to act as a
nindrance, not a help. 1t may be differ
ent with different individuals; but in no
case is alcohol digested. 1t is taken into
the circulation essentially unchanged /;
that is, so much of it as the excretOry
glands and vessels are unable to dispose
Of. A drop of clear alcohol has been
found, on dissectiOns, in an Incorporate
/ 1,19Tis brain