154 Prof. B. Moore. On Free Hydrochloric Acid [Feb. 28, 
demonstrate that the reaction is not due to free hydrochloric except in 
minute traces. 
2. The “di-methyl” indicator shows entire absence of acidity in nine out 
of 16 cases in which it was applied, and in the remaining cases gives very low 
values, approaching half-way towards normal in only one case (No. V). 
3. The Gtinzburg test shows entire absence of free hydrochloric acid in 
11 out of 17 cases, and in the remaining cases the quantitative use of the 
test shows that, with one exception (Case V), the amount of hydrochloric 
acid present was only a minute trace (0:0036 to 0:0109 per cent.). Case V 
was the only one which had an appreciable amount of free hydrochloric acid, 
and even here the amount present was less than one-fifth the normal 
quantity. 
4. The Morner-Sjiqvist method gave, as a rule, low results, but in 
Cases XI, XVI, XVII much higher results were given than by the other 
methods. There is little doubt that this result arose in those cases from the 
presence of salts of inorganic acids with organic bases, and not to hydro- 
chloric acid either free or loosely combined with proteid. 
5. The presence of inorganic acid combined with organic base is shown by 
the zero or negative value obtained on incineration with excess of alkali in 
the attempt to determine the amount of organic acid. 
6. The methyl-acetate inversion method shows clearly what small traces of 
effective acid are present as compared with the normal cases. In all the 
cases tested the. concentration of hydrogen ions never exceeds one-fifteenth 
part of the normal amount, and in the majority of cases sinks incomparably 
lower even than this low fraction. 
7. Attention may be drawn to Case XII, in which a carcinomatous breast 
had been removed ten weeks previously, recovery was completed and appetite 
good. Here it is to be noted that the gastric contents possess scarcely any 
“ total acidity,” requiring only 0°5 cc. in 10 ec. of deci-normal alkali for 
neutralisation, and that of this trifling amount only one-fifth or less 
(0:1 c.c. N/10 in 10 cc. of the contents) is shown to be free DG acid 
by the Gtinzburg test. 
This shows, so far as any conclusion can be drawn from a single case, that 
the suppression of acid is not due to secondary products thrown out by the 
growth, neutralising the acid ions of the plasma. for in that case the acid 
secretion should be re-established after removal of the growth. The per- 
sistence of absence of acid secretion after the growth has been removed points 
to the view that the condition of the blood, and most probably the absence 
or marked diminution of acid ions in it, is to be regarded as a cause pre- 
