The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-05-09
Recent Facts About Gastric Juice

recent Facts About Gastric Juice
DIR. Charles Richet not very long z
read . paper before the French Acade-
my OF Science, IN which he treated of
the acIdlty Of the gastric Juice IN man.
IL seems q new case has arisen which
affords a chance Tor ocular observa-
tons Of work that goes on inside the
stomach. yer much like the case of
1t. Martin, who some thirty years ago
Was shown IN Hartford. Conn. DIR.
Rlchet says that tor some time Prof.
Nernuil had a young patient under his
care. who labOurcd under the strange
affection of having his d~sophagus, or
upper extremity Of the ~alimenJary ca
nal, so contracted as to render the pas
sage not only of food or drink, but
even OF an instrument, quite impossi-
Die. The professor had occurs to
gastrotomv, an operation until then
considered mortal, but which in this
case succeeded perfectly. An iDcisiOn
made IN the stomach, and kept open
artlficlaliy. has been transformed into
a regular fistula, through which FOOD
and drink are administered; and in
this state the young man not only
ives, but is a useful servant of the
hospital. NJ. Richet, having devoted
lb.Ai llbtAlIOlI " III 5NtplCtl.
and examined the working of the
stomach day by day, and through the
tIotuia III question, communicated the
results obtained 10 the Academy.
They are as follows:
|. The average acidity of gastric
juice, whether pure or mixed with
food, Is equal to IL grammes of by
~drochlorlc acid per 900 OF liquid. 1t
has neve been obsered to be lower than
90 or higher than 80.
:. The quantity of liquid contained
IN the stomach exercises 10 influence
on lis acldlty, which remains nearly
lnvarlable, whether the stomach is
empty or filled with ailment.
D. Vine and alcohol increase the
acidity Of the stomach; cane sugar dl-
miniSlles it.
4. If acid or alkaline liquids be in
jected, the gastric ones tend rapidly
to resume their normal acidity, SO
that, about an hour after tie injection.
the stomach has regained its average
acidity.
). The gastric juice is more acid
during digestion than before or after,
q. There is a slight decrease OF acid
ity towards the end of digestion.
Z. The sensation of hunger and thirst
do not depend either upon the state of
acidlty or on that of vacuity Of the
stomach.
Such are the results as to acidity,
but there are a few others of some in
terest. Thus fecula-fat and meat
stay in the stomach for three or four
hoIrs, milk is digested in the course
of an hour and a half, water and alco-
hol are absorbed much faster. in the
course of from thirty-tive to forty
minutes. Food is not transmitted 10
the pylOris successfully, but all in "a
block.
This last curious observation we do
not remember as being made in the
case of st. Martin, and it may possibly
refer to a personal popularity of Prof.
VernuiIs subject; the other points, re-
ferring to the time required to digest
fat, meat, mix, ETC., substantially con
firm the observations made in ST. Mar
tins case. and embodied with others
made an interesting table presented at
that time to the public. In regard to
alcohol, which in the Frenchman's pa
tient is absorbed SO rapidly into the
circulation, it was found in ST. Mar
tins case that taken directly after a
meal it suddenly arrested digestion.
Ii seemed to act as a hinderance. not
a help. 1t may be different individu-
ais: but III no caSe Is alcohol dlgested.
1t is taken into the circulation essen
TALLY ~unchanged: that is, 50 much of
t as the eXcretOry glands and vessels
are unable to dispose of. A drop of
clear alcohol has been found, on dis
section, IN an incorporate mans brain.
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