Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1878-02-02

DR.. Charles Richet not very long AGO
read a paper be ore the French academy
of sciences, in which he treated Ct the
of the gastric Juice in man. 1t
Il newcase has arisen, which affords
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 bad a
patient under his care, who labored under
the strange affection OF having his
N3Ophagus, or upper extremity of the
alimcatary 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 gastronomy, IN operation until then
considered mortal, but which in this case
succeeded perfectly, An i%ncision made
in the stomach, and kept open artiicially,
has been Transformed into a regular
fstula, through which food and drink are
administered and in thisstate the young
man not emily lives, but is a useful serv-
ant OF the hospital. Mr., Richet, having
devoted particular attention to this sub.
ject, and examined the working of the
stomach day by day, through the fstula
in question, communicated the results
obtained to the academy. They are IS
follows:
|. The average acidity of gastric Juice
whether pure or mixed with food, II
equal to IL gramInes of hydro celoriC
acid per 1906 of liquid. 1t has never
been observed to be lower than 05 Of
higher than 80.
q The quantity Of liquid contained il
the stomach exercises no influence on it
acidity which remains nearly invariable
whether the stomach is empty or fillec
with aliment.
3. Wine and alcohol increase the acid
ity of the stomach zane sugar dimin
ishfs it.
4. If acid or alkaline liquids be in
jected, the gastric ones tend rapidly Il
resume their normal acidity, so that
about an hour after the infection, tn,
! stomach has regained the average acidity
b, The gastric Juice is more acid dur
ing digestion than before or after.
6. There is a slight increase of acidit,
towards the end of digestion.
I. The sensation OF hunger and thiIs
90 not depend either upon the state o
acidity or on that %vacuity of the stomach
Such are the results as to acidlty, bu
there are a few others of some interest
Thus fecula-- at and meat--stay in tn,
stomach for three or four hours, milk i
digested in the course OF an hour and
half, water and alcohol are absorbet
much faster, in the course of from thirty
five or forty-fve minutes. Food is no
transmitted to the pylorus successfully
but all in a block.
This last curious observation we d
not remember as having been made il
the case of st. Martin, and 1T may DOS
sibly refer to a personal popularity O
Prof. Vernuil's subject; the othe
points, referring to the time required t
digest fat, meat, milk, etc substantial,
confirm the observations made in 81
Martins case, and embodied with other
made an interesting table presented a
that time by this paper. In regard t
alcohol, which in the Frenchman'
patient is absorbed 70 rapidly int
the circulation, it was found in ST. MAJ
tins case that taken directly after a mes
it suddenly arrested digestion. It SCENE
to act as q hindrance, not Z help.
may be different with different individ
uals but in no case Is alcohol digestec
It is taken into the circulation essential
unchanged; that Is, 90 much OF it as th
excretoFy glands and vessels are unabl
to dispose of. A drop of clear alcoht
has been found, on disaections, in an il
Atamnarata mans hrain.-sH Hartford Tina
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