OF ALCOHOL UPON DIGESTION. 121 



gastric juice very greatly, but also its acidity, content of 

 solid matter, etc. Moreover, alcohol absorbed from the in- 

 testine, the latter being entirely shut off from the stomach, 

 may likewise cause stimulation of the gastric glands, with a 

 marked increase in the rate of secretion, etc. Whiskey, 

 brandy, sherry, claret, beer, and porter all agree in producing 

 stimulation of gastric secretion. Further, as already stated, 

 the gastric juice secreted under alcoholic stimulation is more 

 acid, contains more solid matter and more combined hydro- 

 chloric acid than the ordinary secretion. It is likewise 

 strongly proteolytic. 



If these results are considered hi connection with our pre- 

 vious observations upon the influence of alcohol and alcoholic 

 drinks upon the purely chemical processes of gastric digestion, 

 it is seen that side by side with the greater or lesser retarda- 

 tion of digestive proteolysis caused by alcoholic beverages 

 there occurs an increased flow of gastric juice rich in acid 

 and of unquestionable digestive power. The two effects may 

 thus normally counterbalance each other, though it is evident 

 that modifying conditions may readily retard or stimulate the 

 processes in the stomach according to circumstances. Fore- 

 most among the latter is the rapid disappearance of alcohol 

 from the alimentary canal. 



Since any influence exerted by alcohol or alcoholic bever- 

 ages upon the solvent or digestive power of the gastric juice 

 in the stomach must depend upon the presence of alcohol in 

 the stomach contents, it follows that the tendency toward 

 rapid removal of the alcohol from the alimentary tract by 

 absorption must necessarily diminish correspondingly the 

 extent of the retardation of gastric digestion which the pres- 

 ence of alcohol in the stomach may occasion. Since, however, 

 the stimulation of gastric secretion induced by alcohol is 

 brought about not only by the direct action of alcohol in the 

 stomach, but also by the indirect action of alcohol absorbed 

 from the intestine, it follows that possible inhibition of the 

 digestive action of the gastric juice would probably be of 

 shorter duration than the stimulation of secretion, and that 



