170 THE WORK OF THE DIGESTIVE GLANDS. 



Normal secretion. 

 6'5 c.c. 



5-3 



4-3 

 4-4 

 2-8 

 4-4 



Total 24-7 



)! 



Pathological secretion. 

 8-4 c.c. 

 3-5 



o 



2-5 

 1-2 



o-o 



Total 15-6 



)) 



You see, therefore, that in the diseased state the secretion assumed 

 quite an unusual and special character. The quantity for the first 

 hour markedly exceeded the normal ; but in the second hour, an 

 exceptionally steep decline to abnormally low values, set in. This con- 

 tinued in the third hour, and at length the secretion stopped prema- 

 turely, after much less than the normal amount of juice had been 

 produced. The gland-cells had become more excitable than before, 

 but n,t the same time they were extremely easily fatigued. The 

 significance of this condition of the cell is at once clear. Obviously 

 such a state is not merely a special result of the nitrate of silver, but 

 must also appear under other conditions, and represents, therefore, 

 a typical form of depressed cell activity. We may confidently antici- 

 pate that a knowledge of this condition will influence both the 

 methods of clinical investigation, as well as the therapeutics of such 

 diseases. So far as I know, this interesting fact has been first estab- 

 lished by experiment in my laboratory, notwithstanding the infinity 

 of cases where it might previously have been observed in the clinic. 

 It is a striking confirmation of the fact that, in the analysis of morbid 

 phenomena, clinical observation has to contend with much greater 

 difficulties than is the case with experimental investigation in the 

 laboratory. 



Recently it has also been demonstrated (experiments of Dr. 

 Kasanski), that exactly the opposite condition of the glands can be 

 set up. This is seen in the following table, where the normal secre- 

 tion is compared with that during the pathological state : 



Hour. Normal secretion. Pathological secretion. 



1st . . . 11-6 c.c. ... 6'2 c.c. 



2nd . . . 8-4 ... 11-6 



3rd . . . 3-5 ... 10-8 



4th . . . 1-9 ... 5-6 



5th 1-3 , 3-6 , 



Total 26-7 Total 37'8 



The condition was produced by the application of intense cold. In it 

 the gland-cell has become much more inert, more difficult to set in 



