248 B. C. H. HARVEY AND R. R. BENSLEY. 



relatively high content of solids, and that the bulk of the water 

 found in the gastric secretion is added at the level of the glandular 

 foveolae. 



OTHER CONSIDERATIONS. 



Since it is apparent that the contents of the gastric glands proper 

 when in a state of normal activity are not acid in reaction, and 

 may even be alkaline, it follows that the ferment of the same 

 secretion in the gland lumen is probably not in an active form, 

 since, as is well known, pepsin is destroyed by alkalies while 

 pepsinogen is not affected. Hence, the failure of the secretion 

 to attack the cells themselves requires no further explanation in 

 the case of the gastric glands than in the case of the pancreas, 

 since in neither case does the activated ferment come in immediate 

 contact with the parenchyma cells. This being the case it is 

 pertinent to enquire whether under any conditions the secretion 

 within the gland may become acid in reaction, for, in this event 

 it is probable that the ferment would be activated and as happens 

 under similar conditions in the pancreas the adjacent parenchyma 

 cells would be attacked. This possibility is suggested by certain 

 results obtained with the Claude Bernard reaction, where a 

 reaction was obtained in the neighborhood of recent injuries to 

 the mucous membrane far down the lumen of the gland, though 

 the rest of the mucous membrane showed no reaction in the 

 glands. We have as yet not had the opportunity to test this 

 question by means of the cyanamin and neutral red reactions, 

 but hope to report on this matter in the near future. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

 Bernard, C. 



'59 Lecons sur les proprietes physiologiques des liquides de 1'organisme, Paris, 



P- 375- 

 Edinger. 



'79 Zur Kenntnis der Driisenzellen des Magens, besonders beim Menschen. 



Archiv mikr. Anat., 17. 

 Fitzgerald, M. P. 



"10 The Origin of the Hydrochloric Acid in the Gastric Tubules. Proc. Roy. 



Soc., B. 83. 

 Frankel. 



'91 Beitrage zur Physiologic der Magendriisen. Archiv f. d. gesammt. Physiol. 

 d. Mensch. u. d. Tiere, 48. 



