502 DIGESTION 



By observing the rhythmic contractions of an isolated strip of the small 

 intestine suspended in a bath of oxygenated saline solution at body tem- 

 perature, it can readily be shown that the presence of even a minute trace 

 of epinephrine is sufficient to produce complete inhibition of the movement. 

 The parallelism between the effects of splanchnic stimulation and those of 



Fig. 163. The effect of excitation of both splanchnic nerves on the intestinal contractions. (From 



Starling.) 



Fig. 164. The effect of stimulation of right vagus nerve on the intestinal contractions. (From 



Starling.) 



epinephrine injection is very significant, for in this way the marked inhi- 

 bition of intestinal movement which occurs during fright may possibly 

 be explained (see page 787). 



The circular muscular coat of the last two or three centimeters of 

 the ileum before it joins the cecum is definitely thicker than the rest of 

 this coat, indicating that it has a sphincter-like action. This ileocolic 



