426 



at all ill the stoinacli, or onlj^ after a long interval, so that with a 

 decreased motility of the stomach the I-reaction in urine and saliva 

 will appear later than in normal cases. Thi.5 experiment was per- 

 formed with some melancholiacs and with some noi-mal persons: 



This table shows distinctly the retardation of the reaction in 

 urine and saliva in cases of melancholy. It is very well possible 

 that this retardation is not due only to the gastric function, but 

 that at the same time a slower resorption has taken place in the 

 intestine and inhibition in the secretion of the kidneys and the 

 salivary glands. 



Conclusive evidence regarding the retardation of the movement 

 of the stomach and the intestine can be afforded by Röntgenograms. 



In the morning 150 grs of bariumsulphate was administered with 

 500 grs of porridge in the empty stomach. Normally the stomach 

 will then be quite empty again aftei- 4 — 6 hours. In the stomach 

 of a melancholiac I found after 4 hours still a very large quantity; 

 after 10 hours a rather large quantum and after 24 iiours still 

 distinct traces of the bariumsulphate. After a 10 hours' fast this 

 patient took food again, so that the bariumsulphate, then present, 

 may have been mixed up with the food. The latter registration, 

 therefore, is not quite reliable. 



The decreased motility of the intestine also manifests itself distinctly, 

 under normal conditions all the bariumsulphate is removed from 

 the small intestine after 10 hours. The examination of another 



