166 



GASTRIC SOUNDS. TEST MEALS. 



[BOOK ii. 



has since been greatly employed on the Continent of 

 Europe both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. 



The sound consists of a soft india-rubber tube, of 

 about the same thickness as a stomach-pump tube, 

 the inner or stomach end of which is rounded, and, at 

 a short distance from this end, it is perforated by a 

 hole through which the fluid passes into, and out of, the 

 stomach. 



This pipe may be attached to a funnel.' The tube 

 being inserted into the stomach, lege artis, exactly as 

 a stomach-pump tube, some water is poured into the 

 funnel, which is held at this time in an elevated position. 

 On now depressing the funnel the contents of the stomach 

 will be syphoned off and accumulate in the funnel. An 

 ingenious syphon for washing out the stomach is shewn in 

 Fig. 12. 



FIG. 12. SYPHON FOR WASHING OUT THE STOMACH. (Maw.) 



It is obvious that with the help of such contrivances 

 various kinds of observations may be performed ; as, for 

 instance, we may collect the stomach contents mixed with 

 a small quantity of water a known time after a so-called 

 test meal; we may collect the stomach contents at any 

 time after the ordinary meals ; or we may wash out the 

 stomach with pure water, or water containing various 

 agents. 



In experimenting on the digestive powers 



of the stomach in disease it is very usual 



with some clinical observers, especially in Germany, to 



