THE GASTRIC FLUID. 221 



diminishes or ceases entirely, and a ropy mucus is poured out 

 instead. Very cold water, or small pieces of ice, at first ren- 

 der the mucous membrane pallid, but soon a kind of reaction 

 ensues, the membrane becomes turgid with blood, and a larger 

 quantity of gastric juice is poured out. The application of too 

 much ice is attended by diminution in the quantity of fluid 

 secreted, and by consequent retardation of the process of di- 

 gestion. The quantity of the secretion seems to be influenced 

 also by impressions made on the mouth ; for Blondlot found 

 that when sugar was introduced into the dog's stomach, either 

 alone, or mixed with human saliva, a very small secretion en- 

 sued : but when the dog had himself masticated and swallowed 

 it, the secretion was abundant. 



Dr. Beaumont described the secretion of the human stomach 

 as " a clear transparent fluid, inodorous, a little saltish, and 

 very perceptibly acid. Its taste is similar to that of thin mu- 

 cilaginous water, slightly acidulated with muriatic acid. It 

 is readily diffusible in water, wine, or spirits ; slightly effer- 

 vesces with alkalies ; and is an effectual solvent of the materia 

 alimentaria. It possesses the property of coagulating albumen 

 in an eminent degree ; is powerfully antiseptic, checking the 

 putrefaction of meat ; and effectually restorative of healthy 

 action, when applied to old fetid sores and foul ulcerating 

 surfaces." 



The chemical composition of the gastric juice of the human 

 subject has been particularly investigated by Schmidt, a favor- 

 able case for his doing so occurring in the person of a peasant 

 named Catharine Kiitt, aged 35, who for three years had had 

 a gastric fistula under the left mammary gland, between the 

 cartilages of the ninth and tenth ribs. 



The fluid was obtained by putting into the stomach some 

 hard indigestible matter, as dry peas, and a little water, by 

 which means the stomach was excited to secretion, at the same 

 time that the matter introduced did not complicate the analy- 

 sis by being digested in the fluid secreted. The gastric juice 

 was drawn off through an elastic tube inserted into the fistula. 



The fluid thus obtained was acid, limpid, and odorless, 

 with a mawkish taste. Its density varied from 1.0022 to 1.0024. 

 Under the microscope a few cells from the gastric glands and 

 some fine granular matter were observable. 



The following table gives the mean of two- analyses of the 

 above-mentioned fluid ; and arranged by the side of it, for 

 purposes of comparison, is an analysis of gastric juice from 

 the sheep and dog. 



19 



