A METHOD FOR THE CONTINUOUS QUANTITATIVE ESTIMATION OF GASTRIC SECRETION AND DISCHARGE IN MAN

The study of the pathologic physiology of the stomach has been hampered by lack of detailed knowledge of the normal motor and secretory activities of this organ. Animal experiments along the lines suggested by the ingenious work of Haidenhain and of Pawlow and their followers have, to be sure, laid down certain fundamental principles, but the results of the work can hardly be assumed to hold, as regards details, in man. Studies on human beings are to be found mainly in the literature of gastro-enterology and they have concerned themselves largely with the analysis of gastric contents following the ingestion of test meals of various sorts; their purpose has been to differentiate, if possible, various types of digestive disturbances and to lay down diagnostic criteria. Carlson and his associates have made important contributions to normal gastric physiology, without, however, investigating the wide variety of material that confronts the clinician.

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