CHAP, xi.] v. MERING'S RESEARCHES. 441 



Although, as we shall shew in the sequel, the conclusion to 

 which Edkins arrived was correct, the method of experiment 

 adopted was of such a nature as to inspire great and reasonable 

 doubts as to whether it was applicable to animals in the physio- 

 logical condition. Having injected into a cat 25 minims of a solution 

 of morphia and atropine containing half a grain (0'032 grms.) of 

 hydrochlorate of morphia and one-thirteenth of a grain of sulphate 

 of atropia (0*0084 grm.), and having placed the animal under chloro- 

 form, Edkins ligatured tightly the cardiac end of the stomach and 

 then tied a cannula, communicating with a reservoir, into the pylorus. 

 Employing a normal saline solution, he found, as stated above, that 

 the absorption of water was virtually nil. To these experiments, 

 quite apart from the violence of the treatment which the stomach 

 necessarily suffered, the strongest objection which can be urged is 

 afforded by the fact that they were performed on animals to which, 

 in addition to morphia, a very large dose of atropia had been admini- 

 stered. The disturbing influence of this drug is such that, in the 

 opinion of the Author, the result obtained would in no respect warrant 

 our admitting the accuracy of Edkins's conclusion, were it not for the 

 fact that a beautiful research of v. Mering's has now established it 

 beyond the possibility of doubt. 



v. Mering's I n cases of marked dilatation of the stomach depend- 



ing upon pyloric stenosis, the patient usually suffers 

 from thirst, passes little urine, is constipated, and has a dry skin, 

 phenomena which have been explained on the hypothesis that fluid 

 is absorbed with difficulty by a dilated stomach and, besides, that 

 little can pass out of the stomach into the intestine when the pylorus 

 is contracted. The stomach of such patients, unless the contents are 

 artificially evacuated, usually contains large quantities of liquid. If in 

 such a case the stomach be emptied for example in the evening 

 and food, consisting, e.g. of a thick soup, be introduced into it, the 

 following morning the stomach is still found to contain liquid : often 

 indeed more, and of a lower specific gravity, than that which had 

 been introduced the previous evening 2 . 



Reasoning on these clinical facts, v. Mering, who appears to have 

 been entirely ignorant of Edkins's research, engaged in the experiments 

 now to be referred to. In the first instance, in the case of large dogs, 

 he cut across the duodenum, from five to ten centimetres below the 

 pylorus, and sewing each end into the skin he obtained two fistulous 

 apertures, the upper leading to the pylorus and the lower into the 

 duodenum. When the animal had recovered from the effects of the 



(from the Physiological Laboratory of the Owens College), Journal of Physiology, Vol. 

 xm. (1892), pp. 445459. See pp. 454459. 



1 Professor Dr J. v. Mering (Halle), 'Ueber die Function des Magens' (Unter 

 Mitwirkung von Dr Aldehaff und Dr Happel). Separatabdruck aus den 'Verhand- 

 lungen des xn. Congress fur innere Medicin zu Wiesbaden 1893, ' Wiesbaden. Verlag 

 von J. F. Bergmann, 1893. 



2 J. v. Mering, op. cit. p. 4. 



