142 BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN. 



Now, by referring to the two charts it can be seen that No. 

 8,938 possesses what may be called an acid stomach. Column A' 

 which denotes the working power of the stomach, shows that it is 

 excessive, which means that the food which is eaten is not like- 

 ly to be fully assimilated ; it is disposed of too rapidly. On 

 the other hand, No. 11,599 possesses a sub-acid stomach, where 

 the proteid digestion is defective ; the free hydrochloric acid is 

 seen to be especially lacking. In prescribing a diet for these 

 two individuals a physician would say that No. 8,938 should 

 abstain from acids in every form, while No. 11,599 is much 

 in need of acid that can be obtained in fruits. I happen to 

 know as a matter of act that if No. 8,938 drinks a glass of lem- 

 onade it will cause distress, while No. 11,599 is greatly benefited 

 by lemonade used very_ freely. The first subject cannot eat 

 sour apples with impunity, while the second subject is very 

 greatly benefited by their generous use. No. 8,938 likes foods 

 rich in proteids, probably because they are easily digested; 

 while No. 11,599 is not so fond of beans and similar foods con- 

 taining a large proportion of albumen. If No. 8,938 drinks 

 a glass of milk between meals he finds it difficult of digestion, 

 doubtless because the excessive acidulous condition of the stom- 

 ach causes coagulation of the casein before the digestive juices 

 can act upon it in a proper way. No. 11,599 does not apparently 

 experience inconvenience from a glass of milk at any time. 



The analysis of stomach fluid reveals other digestive charac- 

 teristics than those already discussed. It will be seen by an 

 examination of the charts there is a column headed S in one 

 case and M in the other in which is represented the capacity 

 for starch digestion. This is determined by ascertaining the 

 percentage of maltose, expressed as dextrin, found present in the 

 stomach fluid. The normal amount in 100 cubic centimeters 

 ranges from 1.80 to 3.00. (The charts do not quite agree here, 

 due to the fact doubtless that the normal amount has been found 

 to be different as a result of more extended analyses. As the 

 analysis of No. 11,599 was made last, however, it is probable 

 that it represents more correctly the normal amounts, which 



