232 INTESTINAL BACTERIA 
It will be noticed from the table that, without free acid, the stomach 
may not be depended upon to kill bacteria. As the amount of free 
hydrochloric acid increases, however, the time required for the destruc- 
tion of bacteria is reduced. The same facts were obtained experi- 
mentally by this author and are reported in Table No. XXIV. 
TABLE XXIV 
STOMACH CONTENTS WITH OR WITHOUT HCl OR NaOH. STAPH. 
PYOGENES AUREUS. TEMPERATURE 387° C. 
(After Gregersen, 1916)) 
G | K | al | ph [Epp] Pesiruction 
No. 4. Without addition. ......... —18 | -6; 1 4 | 0 | No destruction 
After addition of HCl......}/—12 0; 71114) .. | No destruction 
After addition of HCl...... 0 0,19 | 23)... 45 minutes 
After addition of HCl ..... 5 | 17 | 24 | 27) .. 6 minutes 
After addition of HCl...... 10 | 22 | 29 | 32) .. 3 minutes 
No. 11. After addition of NaOH... |—238 0; 12 | 24 5 | No destruction 
Without addition. ....... 0; 28); 35 | 471 .. 38 minutes 
After addition of HCl..... 5 | 28 |} 40 | 52] .. 6 minutes 
After addition of HCl..... 10; 33) 45 | 57) .. 3 minutes 
After addition of HCl.....; 20 | 48; 55 | 671... 1.5 minutes 
After addition of HCl..... 40 | 638 | 75 | 87) .. 1 minute 
No. 23. After addition of NaOH... |-20 0 | 14 | 20 | .. | No destruction 
After addition of NaOH... 0; 20; 34 | 40; .. 45 minutes 
After addition of NaOH... 5] 25 | 39 | 45] .. 8 minutes 
After addition of NaOH...}| 10) 30; 44 | 50| .. 3 minutes 
Without addition......... 20 | 40 | 54 | 60 |! 5.5) 1.5 minutes 
No. 22. After addition of NaOH...| —§ 0; 2); 61]... | No destruction 
After addition of NaOH... 5 18 | 15/191 .. 9 minutes 
After addition of NaOH...} 10; 18 | 20 | 24|.. 4 minutes 
Without addition......... 20; 28 | 30 | 34 | 4.5) 1.5 minutes 
No. 27. After addition of NaOH. .| 10 | 24 | 30 | 38° 6 2 minutes 
Without addition......... 50 | 64/170 | 6.5) .. .5 minute 
The bacterial content of the stomach as shown above is quite depend- 
ent upon the acidity of the stomach. In order to standardize these 
determinations, the acidity of the stomach is usually examined after 
atest meal. The Ewald test breakfast is much used, which consists 
of two pieces of toast and 400 c.c. of water. The stomach is pumped 
out at the end of about one hour. 
