246 APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY 



performing gastro-enterostomy that the opening should 

 be made as near the natural pylorus as possible, so that 

 the expulsive effect which results from the ' systolic ' 

 contraction of this part of the organ may be taken 

 advantage of. 



The movements of the stomach are apparently 

 myogenic in origin, or, at least, dependent upon a 

 purely local nerve mechanism, for they continue even 

 when all its nerves are divided, but there is no doubt 

 that the vagus can exert both a stimulating and an in- 

 hibitory influence upon them.* On the other hand, the 

 sympathetic appears to be incapable of exerting any 

 effect in either direction. It has been found experi- 

 mentally that emotional states such as rage, fear, or 

 distress inhibit the movements of the stomach, and 

 in accordance with this is the well-recognized influence 

 of such states in the production and maintenance of 

 dyspepsia. It is stated by Moritz t that the movements 

 of the stomach are not affected by electrical stimulation. 

 On the other hand, it has been shown that they are con- 

 siderably strengthened by massage. If these observa- 

 tions are correct, they have important bearings on the 

 therapeutics of ' atonic ' dyspepsia. 



What is the stimulus to the movements of the 

 Stomach? To this question physiology is not able to 

 furnish a clear reply. The presence of free HC1 seems 

 to increase the activity of the movements ; but that it is 

 not their sole cause is shown by the fact that they may 



* See Page May, Brit. Med. Journ., 1902, ii, 779. 

 t Zeit.f. Biologie, 1895, xxxii. 313. 



