TEE NATURE OF EUNGER 301 



of these procedures. The turgescence theory, furthermore, does not 

 explain the quick onset of hunger, or its intermittent and periodic 

 character. That the cells are repeatedly swollen and contracted within 

 periods a few seconds in duration is almost inconceivable. For these 

 reasons, therefore, the theory that hunger results from turgescence of 

 the gastric mucosa can reasonably be rejected. 



Hunger the Eesult of Contractions 



There remain to be considered, as a possible cause of hunger-pangs, 

 contractions of the stomach and other parts of the alimentary canal. 

 This suggestion is not new. Sixty-six years ago Weber declared his 

 belief that " strong contraction of the muscle fibers of the wholly empty 

 stomach, whereby its cavity disappears, makes a part of the sensation 

 which we call hunger."- 9 Vierordt drew the same inference twenty- 

 five years later (in 1871 ), so and since then Ewald, Knapp, and Hertz 

 have declared their adherence to this view. These writers have not 

 brought forward any direct evidence for their conclusion, though Hertz 

 has cited Boldireff's observations on fasting dogs as probably account- 

 ing for what he terms " the gastric constituent of the sensation." 31 



The Empty Stomach, and Intestine Contract. — The argument com- 

 monly used against the gastric contraction theory is that the stomach 

 is not energetically active when empty. Thus Schiff stated " the move- 

 ments of the empty stomach are rare and much less energetic than dur- 

 ing digestion." 32 Luciani expressed his disbelief by asserting that 

 gastric movements are much more active during gastric digestion than 

 at other times, and cease almost entirely when the stomach has dis- 

 charged its contents. 33 And Valenti stated only year before last "we 

 know very well that gastric movements are exaggerated while digestion 

 is proceeding in the stomach, but when the organ is empty they are 

 more rare and much less pronounced," and therefore they can not ac- 

 count for hunger. 34 



Evidence opposed to these suppositions has been in existence for 

 many years. In 1899, Bettmann called attention to the contracted con- 

 dition of the stomach after several days' fast. 35 In 1902, Wolff reported 

 that after forty-eight hours without food the stomach of the cat may be 

 so small as to look like a slightly enlarged duodenum. 36 In a similar 

 circumstance I have noticed the same extraordinary smallness of the 

 organ, especially in the pyloric half. The anatomist His also recorded 



29 Weber, Wagner's " Handworterbuch der Physiologie, " 1846, IIP., p. 580. 



30 Vierordt, " Grundriss der Physiologie," Tubingen, 1871, p. 433. 



81 Knapp, American Medicine, 1905, X., p. 358; Hertz, loc. cit., p. 37. 



32 Schiff, loc. cit., p. 33. 



33 Luciani, loc. cit., p. 542. 



34 Valenti, loc. cit., p. 95. 



35 Bettmann, Philadelphia Monthly Medical Journal, 1899, I., p. 133. 



36 Wolff, Dissertation, Giessen, 1902, p. 9. 



