236 Dr. C. Bolton. Further Ohservatio7is on the [Nov. 16; 



• 



In the case of the cat I have been able to prove definitely that when 

 the stomach is empty the ulcer may not appear at all, and if it does that 

 it only extends down to the submucous tissue, as a rule. Of nine experi- 

 ments, ulceration failed to appear in three, and in the remaining six was 

 only superficial. Even though the stomach be empty, there is often a 

 little acid fluid in it, and this accounts for lesions occurring in the empty 

 stomach. 



I may point out also that the secretion of gastric juice not only depends 

 upon the presence of food in the stomach, but is also a reflex nervous 

 phenomenon. The cat has a very keen scent, and it is difficult to exclude 

 the smell of food, which excites a flow of gastric juice. Moreover, I do 

 not know how long the effect of the poison upon the cells lasts, and if 

 food be given before this effect passes off, ulceration will of course occur. 



This is a matter of no small importance, because when the process of 

 ulceration is actively going on, one point in the treatment of such a case is 

 obviously to stop the flow of gastric juice, not to encourage it by giving a 

 diet such as recommended by Lenhartz (5) ; I have shown before that 

 whenever the stomach contains food, even though the food be strongly 

 alkaline, there is always a layer having a strongly acid reaction in contact 

 with the wall of the stomach. 



In all the following experiments, 15 grammes of cut-up meat were given 

 to each cat two hours before the operation for the production of ulcer. 



II. The Hcaliiuj of ActUe Gastric Ulcer in the Cat. 



The healing stages have been studied in 21 cats on a normal diet. After 

 the 3rd to the 5th day healing commences and is completed in many cases 

 before, and nearly always by, the 21st day. 



The edges of the ulcer are drawn together by contraction of the muscular 

 coat of the stomach, and fixed in this position by the formation of fibrous 

 ti.ssuc. Puckering of tlie surrounding mucous membrane is thus produced, 

 and a stellate scar results. Tlic amount of the puckering depends upon the 

 previous degree of contraction of the muscular coat, and the shrinkage of the 

 fibrous base of the ulcer (Plate 8, fig. 1). Sometimes the edges of the mucous 

 membrane are curved inwards all rounds probably l)y retraction of the 

 muacularis nnicosse. The pressure of tliis edge interferes with tlic normal 

 regeneration of the mucous membrane. Th(! peritoneum is thickened to 

 different degrees, and may be adherent to Uu; omentum, liver, or diaphragm. 



The regeneration of the gastric iimcous ni(!nil)rane was fully woi ked out 

 microscopically liy Griflini and Vassalc (0) 20 years ago. They cut off' portions 

 of mucous nicnibranc, and found tliat the glandular epithelial cells proliferate 



