70 



DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



stomach, we would expect this condition to favor the action of the 

 pancreatic secretion — which acts best in an alkaline medium — and 

 that the intestinal wall would be digested. The mucus may be 

 removed from the walls of the stomach, and even the epithelium 

 itself, without any injurious effect of the digestive fluids upon this 

 organ being produced, as may be seen in wounds and traumatisms 

 of the stomach wall by foreign bodies contained in it. — w. l. z.] 



When for any reason there is an interference with the circulation 

 in the mucous membrane, or passive anemia, as happens in catarrhs, 

 emboli, etc., the action of the gastric juice will appear in so-called 

 peptic ulcerations. But if, on the contrary, there is hypersecretion 

 of mucus on account of gastric catarrh, the mucous membrane is 

 covered with a heavy exudate which neutralizes part of the hydro- 

 chloric acid, and prevents the gastric juice from penetrating into 

 the chyme.^ 



10. The different ferments (acetic, butyric, lactic, and alcoholic 

 acids, etc.), which are always found in alimentary matters, are 

 destroyed in the stomach through the action of the normal gastric 

 juice. When the secretion of this latter becomes diminished, these 

 acids are stirred up and produce abnormal fermentations ; hydrates 

 of carbon are found, the production of which irritate the mucous 

 membrane of the stomach, and also that of the intestine. 



11. The peptones formed in the stomach are absorbed in quite a 

 considerable quantity through the gastric mucous membrane. But 

 when the mucous membrane is the seat of a catarrh, absorption of 

 peptones is no longer performed ; they exist in excessive quantities, 

 and act unfavorably upon the digestion of albumin (Ludwig). 



12. The reaction of the intestinal contents is alkaline in the 

 small intestine, the caecum, and in the inferior portion of the colon ; 

 it is sometimes acid, and at other times alkaline in the upper por- 

 tion of the colon. When fecal matters are arrested in colics and 

 in catarrh, acid reaction of the intestinal contents is ordinarily 

 found (Ellenberger and Hofmeister, Tereg). An augmentation or 



1 The researches made by Prof. Hayem have shown that, in normal digestion, free 

 hydrochloric acid exists in a very small proportion, and may even be wanting alto- 

 » gether. The gastric juice is said to derive its acidity from the organic combinations 

 of this acid (Hayem: Bull. Soc. Méd. des Hôpitaux, 1889). — n. d. t. 



[The presence of free hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice is abundantly proven 

 by the experimentations of Prout, Schmidt, Bertholet, Bidder, Heidenhain, Roth- 

 schild, and others. (See Smith's " Physiology of Domestic Animals," page 349.) — 



W. L. Z.] 



