INTESTINAL DIGESTION 



GASES CONTAINED IN THE STOMACH 



Oxygen . . . . . .11.00 



Carbon dioxide ........... 14.00 



Pure hydrogen ........... 3.55 



Nitrogen 71-45 



100.00 



Magendie and Chevreul found three gases in the small intestine. 

 Their examinations were made on three criminals soon after execution. 

 The first was twenty-four years of age, and two hours before execution, 

 he had eaten bread and Gruyere cheese and had drunk red wine and 

 water. The second, who was executed at the same time, was twenty- 

 three years of age, and the conditions as regards digestion were the 

 same. The third was twenty-eight years of age, and four hours before 

 death, he ate bread, beef and lentils, and drank red wine and water. 

 The following was the result of the analyses : 



GASES CONTAINED IN THE SMALL INTESTINE 



No oxygen was found in either of the examinations, and the quan- 

 tities of the other gases were so variable as to lead to the supposition 

 that their proportion is not at all definite. Reference has already been 

 made to the mechanical office of these gases in intestinal digestion. 

 The presence of any considerable quantity of gas, however, in the 

 stomach does not seem necessary to normal gastric digestion, except 

 as bubbles of air render the alimentary mass spongy and thus facilitate 

 the penetration of the gastric juice. The importance of this has already 

 been considered in connection with mastication and insalivation. 



In the large intestine, the constitution of the gases presented the 

 same variability as in the small intestine. Carburetted hydrogen was 

 found in all the analyses. In the large intestine of the first criminal 

 and in the rectum of the third, were found traces of hydrogen mono- 

 sulphide. The following is the result of the analyses in the cases just 

 cited. In the third, the gaseous contents of the caecum and the rectum 

 were analyzed separately : 



