4 Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 



splanchnic nerves cut, and another series with only vagus nerves 

 cut, and a third series with an entire severance of vagi and splanch- 

 nics. The animals used were cats. 



After the observations the movements of the various parts of 

 the alimentary canal were studied by means of the shadows cast 

 on a fluoroscope when food mixed with bismuth subnitrate had been 

 fed and the animals exposed to the X-rays. 



Movements of the esophagus. — Splanchnic section resulted in no 

 deviation from the normal. Bilateral vagus section resulted in the 

 well-known paralysis of the thoracic esophagus. Swallowed food 

 accumulated in the esophagus, and, during the first few days after 

 operation, food was frequently regurgitated. The regurgitation, 

 however, did not persist ; there was still a hindrance to an easy 

 passage through the esophagus, but swallowed food reached the 

 stomach. In one case, nineteen days after the second vagus nerve 

 had been cut, a bolus of semi-fluid material was seen moving slowly 

 and steadily along the lower esophagus into the stomach. Peri- 

 stalsis alone could have done this. A distinction must be drawn 

 between the immediate paralyzing effect on the esophagus of cut- 

 ting the vagi, and the later partial or almost complete recovery of 

 efficiency by a local mechanism in the lower esophageal wall. 



Movements of the stomach. — Splanchnic section caused no 

 alteration from the normal movements. The immediate effect of 

 vagus section was tardiness in the starting of gastric peristalsis after 

 food was introduced into the stomach. There was sometimes a 

 delay of three or four hours, and the waves, when started, were 

 extraordinarily shallow. As time elapsed these abnormalities 

 largely disappeared ; more and more the waves started early and 

 showed their normal vigor. Again a distinction must be drawn 

 between the first and the later effects of vagus section. 



When all the extrinsic nerves were cut the gastric waves passed 

 at the usual rhythm, but were unlike those seen when the vagi 

 alone were cut in being, from the first, deep and powerful contrac- 

 tions. After death in these cases the stomach was usually found 

 strongly contracted. 



Passage of carbohydrate and protein food from the stomach. — 

 After total suppression of impulses through the splanchnics both 

 carbohydrate and protein foods are discharged through the pylorus 



