INFECTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT 323 



hand in hand with the betterment of motility. The 

 influence of imperfect pancreatic secretion may safely 

 be assumed to be important, but in this case direct 

 clinical observation is not possible, and one has to infer 

 the absence or presence of a pancreatic achylia from the 

 manner in which the proteid food in a test meal is at- 

 tacked by the digestive juices. The use of small cheese- 

 cloth bags containing meat in a state of moderate sub- 

 division may be helpful in measuring the ability of the 

 intestinal enzymes to carry on the digestion of meat 

 proteids. 1 The use of this method as an index of pan- 

 creatic digestion can hardly be regarded as free from 

 error. 



The most important physiological factor in the partial 

 or complete restoration of pancreatic secretion is prob- 

 ably rest. The influence of fatigue upon the digestive 

 processes is often very clearly demonstrated in a given 

 individual, and the removal of opportunity for fatigue 

 is conversely a factor in determining recovery. The 

 rest which should be secured in such cases is in part 

 physical, in part mental and emotional and sexual. 

 Many patients commit the error of exercising freely when 

 rest is far more important. The effect of mental, emo- 

 tional, and sexual fatigue upon the digestive tract has 

 not been so carefully studied as it deserves, but there is 

 on doubt that in each case the expenditure of nervous 

 energy may lead to very similar results as regards the 

 digestive organs. Rest from work of a taxing character 

 may be an extremely important factor in the restoration 



1 This procedure was lately suggested by A. Schmidt. 



