THE FUNCTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 529 



glands, the liver and the pancreas, also to a certain extent corresponds to 

 the physiological significance. The work of digestion is not entirely rele- 

 gated to these glands, but the intestines help to a considerable extent. 



From what we know concerning the work of the stomach, and the intestine 

 with its accessory glands, we <jan readily understand at how many places 

 the total work of these organs may be disturbed, and how many disturb- 

 ances may result from the loss of a single function. Let us imagine, for 

 example, that the stomach fails to secrete hydrochloric acid. First of all 

 the food will not be utilized in the system to so good an advantage. To 

 be sure, our knowledge of cookery enables us to overcome many such diffi- 

 culties. If we were compelled to rely upon food in its original condition, 

 then the effect of the loss of hydrochloric acid would be far more pronounced. 

 Thus, for example, connective tissue is scarcely attacked at all by trypsin, 

 while it is readily digested by means of pepsin in acid solutions. Thus the 

 albumins present in such tissue would reach the intestine in an undigested 

 condition. An increased secretion of trypsin would be required on account 

 of the deficient preliminary digestiorr. The stimulation usually brought 

 about by means of hydrochloric acid, however, would not take place. 

 Thus one disturbance follows another. It is not safe to assume that in 

 such cases the pancreas would entirely fail to undergo any stimulation. 

 We have seen, on the contrary, that it is a fairly independent organ, 

 and may be stimulated by fats and by water as well as by psychic 

 events. 



The knowledge of all these mutual relations with regard to the most 

 varied functions of different organs at once explains the therapeutic 

 measures that are taken in case of stomach trouble, whether it be on 

 account of nervous or organic disease. Now we understand how the 

 so-called stomachics have an effect, and why under some conditions hydro- 

 chloric acid itself is introduced into the stomach. On the other hand, it 

 becomes clear to us how cautious we should be with the use of alkalies. 

 They serve not only to neutralize the gastric secretion, but they also lessen 

 the secretion of the pancreatic juice. We are now able to view in a clear 

 light the functions of the intestine in the economy of the animal organism. 

 It seems to us not at all impossible that a faulty function on the part 

 of the intestine in any one of its various functions has an influence in 

 much greater measure than is ordinarily assumed upon numerous patho- 

 logical processes. Not the least cause of diseases of metabolism is an 

 anomally in the complicated processes of the intestine. In the intestine 

 the cleavage-products of proteins, the fats, and certain other compounds, 

 are again welded together. A faulty synthesis, or a building-up in the 

 wrong direction, must immediately have its effect upon the general meta- 

 bolism, for the ferments in the cells are only adjusted to react with quite 

 definite compounds. We make these suggestions merely to show what a 



