OF ALCOHOL UPON DIGESTION. 103 



method. Gluzinski,* however, notes that alcohol diminishes 

 the mechanical action of the stomach in moderate degree. 



In considering the selection of subjects for experiment in the 

 direction indicated, preference has been given to dogs. The 

 series of investigations on man above referred to are already ex- 

 tensive, and the difficulties of obtaining definite answers to 

 specific questions by this method of experimentation are ob- 

 vious. It is rarely possible or desirable to carry out a large 

 number of determinations on any single individual, while it is 

 likewise practically impossible to control the physiological con- 

 dition of the individual, i. e., diet, etc., over prolonged periods. 

 The animals used in this research were large dogs of 21 and 25 

 kilos ; gastric fistulse were made, and a German silver cannula in- 

 troduced into the f un- 

 dus of the stomach. In 

 place of a cork, metal 

 stoppers were devised 

 to screw into the inner 

 cannula tube by means 

 of a small metallic key. 



The arrangement is shown hi the diagram. The wounds healed 

 perfectly, and the animals remained in good health during the 

 entire period of investigation, covering several months. Irreg- 

 ularities of diet were avoided by feeding definite portions of 

 prepared dog biscuit with water ; this food was eagerly eaten, 

 and sufficed to keep the dogs in physiological equilibrium. 



The determinations of the acidity of the stomach contents 

 were carried out according to the method of Topfer.f The 

 gastric fluid was occasionally centrifugalized when food par- 

 ticles prevented pipetting off the fluid portion. Where only 

 small quantities of fluid were available the titrations with 

 phenolphthalein and dimethylamidoazobenzol were combined 

 in the same 5 c.c. of fluid according to the recommendation of 

 Einhorn. J Comparative experiments show that this modifica' 



* Gluzinski : loc. cit. 



t Topf er : Zeitschr. f . physiol. Chemie, 1894, xix, p. 104. 



$ Einhorn : New York Medical Journal, 1896, May, 9, p. 603. 



