811 



Magnus') has previously pointed out that the intestinal movements 

 are effected under the influence of Auerbach's plexus and points to 

 metabolic processes in these nerve centres as the most probable cause 

 of the stimuli. 



From Weiland's ') experience that a substance can by a simple 

 method be derived from the intestine, which largely increases the 

 movements of the surviving small intestine, he concludes that, just 

 as with the automatic respiratory movements, the cause of the 

 automatic intestinal movements must also be a chemical stimulus. 



From the above we conclude that the intestinal extracts contain 

 an amount of cholin that may in a high measure be made respon- 

 sible for their stimulating influence upon the gut. Further inquiry 

 showed that cholin is a substance, which occurs abundantly in 

 various parts of the animal body. The role which this substance 

 has to play in the body, has as yet not been discovered. The above 

 inquiry has rendered it highly probable that cholin plays an important 

 part in bringing about the automatic intestinal movements. 



1) Magnus Ergebnisse der Physiologie. 7e Jahrgang 8. 47. 



2) Weiland Loc. cit. 



Pharmacological Institute of the 

 Utrecht university. 



