THE NATURE OF HUNGER 



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festing periodic contractions, the intestines also are active. Conceiv- 

 ably all parts of the alimentary canal composed of smooth muscle share 



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Fig. 2. One half the original size. The same conditions as in Fig. 1. (Fifteen 

 minutes.) There was a long wait for hunger to disappear. After x, Mr. W. reported 

 himself " tired but not hungry." The record from y to z was the continuance on a 

 second drum of x to y. 



in these movements. The lower oesophagus in man is provided with 

 smooth muscle. It Avas possible to determine whether this region in 

 Mr. Washburn was active during hunger. 



To the oesophageal tube a thin-rubber finger-cot (2 cm. in length) 

 was attached and lowered into the stomach. The little rubber bag was, 



Fig. 3. One half the original size. The top record represents compression of a 

 thin rubber bag in the lower oesophagus. The pressure in the bag varied between 

 ft and 13 cm. of water. The cylinder of the recorder was of smaller diameter than 

 that used in the gastric records. The oesophageal contractions compressed the bag so 

 completely that, at the summits of the large oscillations, the respirations were not 

 registered. When the oscillations dropped to the time line, the bag was about half 

 inflated. The middle line registers time in minutes (ten minutes). The bottom 

 record is Mr. W.*s report of hunger pangs. 



distended with air, and the tube, pinched to keep the bag inflated, was 

 gently withdrawn until resistance was felt. The air was now released 

 from the bag, and the tube further withdrawn about 3 cm. The bag 

 was again distended with air at a manometric pressure of 10 cm. of 

 water. Inspiration now caused the writing lever, which recorded the 

 pressure changes, to rise ; and a slightly further withdrawal of the tube 

 changed the rise, on inspiration, to a fall. The former position of the 

 tube, therefore, was above the gastric cavity and below the diaphragm. 

 In this position the bag, attached to a float-recorder (with chamber 



VOL. LXXXI. -21. 



