CHAP. II.] GERMICIDE ACTION OF THE GASTRIC JUICE. 167 



cause patients to take the test meals, above referred to, and then to 

 examine the stomach contents^ consisting of gastric juice, undigested 

 food and products of digestion, one or several hours afterwards. 



The test meal is administered on an empty stomach. Ewald 1 

 employs for it a dry well-buttered roll with water or weak tea. 

 Leube and Riegel employ a meal of " Wasser-Suppe," " Gries-Suppe " 

 and meat. 



On the Influence of Changes in the Acidity of the Gastric Juice 



in Disease. 



Amongst all the changes which the gastric juice exhibits in 

 disease, modifications in the quantity, as well as the nature, of the 

 acid which it contains occupy the first place. All general affections 

 of the organism profoundly depressing its nutrition : the condition of 

 pyrexia, whatever its origin : the zymotic fevers, etc., whilst all tend- 

 ing to diminish or arrest the secretion of gastric juice, are likewise 

 associated with a diminution in the amount of acid which it contains. 

 Several of the functional and organic diseases of the stomach seem to 

 lead to the secretion of a gastric juice abnormally deficient in its 

 normal acid. 



The secretion of such a gastric juice is often the starting point 

 for a series of phenomena which profoundly affect the processes of 

 digestion in the stomach, as well as the organism as a whole. 



First and foremost, the function of the acid of the gastric juice is, 

 as we have seen, to cooperate with pepsin in the process of proteo- 

 lysis. Next to this, the acid discharges another function of which the 

 importance to the organism can scarcely be exaggerated, viz. an anti- 

 septic and a disinfecting function ; for it would appear that the 

 remarkable antiseptic and deodorizing properties of the gastric juice 

 are intimately associated with, and dependent upon, its acid. 



We are continually introducing with our food, into our organism, 

 moulds and yeasts and bacteria, which, but for the action of the acid 

 of the gastric juice, would set up fermentations of various kinds, 

 or which developing within the organism, would be the cause of 

 numerous zymotic diseases from which we are more or less protected. 

 Amongst the numerous protective agencies which are at work pre- 

 serving the organism against the inroads of putrefactive and patho- 

 genic bacteria, the influence of the gastric juice must therefore not 

 be lost sight of or underrated. 



Bunge's views Bunge has, in his Text-book, discussed in his habitually 



interesting, original and instructive manner, the capital 

 importance of the acid of the gastric juice, arguing that the antiseptic 

 action of the juice is even more important than its function as a proteo- 

 lytic agent. He says : "A strong point in favour of the view that the 

 antiseptic action of the gastric juice constitutes its chief importance is 



1 See v. Jacksch, Clinical Diagnosis, p. 104. 



