INFLUENCE OF NER I V I r S S ] 'STEM. 537 
Since this time many other cases of gastric fistula in the human subject 
have been under observation. 1 In 1842, Bassow 2 and Blondlot simultaneously 
introduced the method of obtaining gastric juice by an artificial fistula in an 
animal, and this method was further developed by Heidenhain, 3 who introduced 
antiseptic precautions into the operation. 
Heidenhain also succeeded in so developing Klemensiewicz's method of 
isolating one portion of the stomach from the rest, that it was possible to keep 
the animals under protracted observation in this condition. In making the 
incisions for the operation, Heidenhain interfered as little as possible with 
the more important blood vessels, but he apparently produced some disturb- 
ance as far as the connections of the main nerves of the stomach were 
concerned. 
Pawlow's 4 method of isolating by operation a portion of the stomach, 
retained the advantages of that of Heidenhain, while keeping unimpaired 
the nerve distribution to the isolated portion. 
The influence of the nervous system on gastric secretion. — 
The stomach is supplied with two sets of nerve-fibres, cerebro-spinal 
and sympathetic. The vagi constitute the cerebro-spinal set, and branches 
from the solar plexus the sympathetic, The fibres of the vagi are almost 
entirely non-medullated in their course over the stomach. Plexuses 
formed by these nerves lie between the muscular and in the submucous 
coats. The nerve-fibres are distributed to the muscular tissue, to the 
blood vessels, and to the mucous membrane, and filaments have been 
traced to terminal arborisations between and in close contact with the 
cells of the gastric glands. 5 
Many have attempted to obtain indications of the nature of the 
impulses passing along these nerves by artificial stimulation. 
Eutherford 6 cut the vagi during digestion, and found that the mucous 
membrane became paler. If the peripheral ends were stimulated, no 
regular effect resulted ; if the central ends were stimulated, the mucous 
membrane became redder. After division of both vagi, apparently 
normal gastric juice was still secreted. Eutherford also found that 
normal secretion occurred after division of the splanchnics. The effect 
on the blood supply of stimulation of the central end of the vagus was, 
presumably, brought about by impulses passing to the medulla oblongata, 
inhibiting the action of the vasomotor centre there, and resulting in 
1 The following is a list of the principal observations on gastric fistulas in man : — 
Helm, " Zwei Krankengeschiehten," Wien, 1803; Briicke's " Vorlesungen," Bd. i. S. 
300; Beaumont (1825-33), "Experiments and Observations on the Gastric Juice and the 
Physiology of Digestion," reprinted from the Plattsburgh edition, with notes by Andrew 
Combe, M.D., Edinburgh, 1838 ; W. Robertson, 1851 ; C. Schmidt, Diss., Dorpat, 1851 ; 
Ann. d. Ghem., 1854, Bd. xcii. ; Kretschy, Jahresb. ii. d. Fortschr. d. Thier-Ckem., 
Wiesbaden, 1876, Bd. vi. S. 173 ; Uffelmann, ibid., 1877, Bd. vii. S. 273 ; Richet, " Le sue 
gastrique," Paris, 1878. 
2 The following is a list of the more important observations on gastric fistulse in 
animals: — Bassow, Bull. Soc. imp. d. not. de Moscou, 1842, tome xvi. ; Blondlot, "Traits' 
analytique de la digestion," Xancy et Paris, 1843; Bardeleben, Arch. f. physiol. Heilk.. 
Stuttgart, 1849, Bd. viii. ; Bidder u. Schmidt, "Die Verdauungssiifte," Leipzig, 1852; 
Holmgren, Jahresb. it. d. Leistung. . . . d. ges. Med., Berlin, 1800, Bd. i. ; Sehiff, " Lecons 
sur la physiologie de la digestion," Paris and Berlin 1867, Bd. i. S. 15 ; Klemensiewicz, 
SUzungsb. d. k. Alcad. d. Wisscnsch., Wien, 1875, Bd. lxxi.; Panum, Jahresb ii. d. 
Fortschr. d. Thier-Chcm., Wiesbaden, 1878, Bd. viii. S. 193; Heidenhain, Arch. f. d. ges. 
Physiol., Bonn, 1878, Bd. xviii. S. 169; 1878, Bd. xix. S. 148 ; Hermann's "Handbuch," 
Leipzig, 1881, Bd. v. S. 107. 
* " Anle^ung von Magentisteln," Hermann's "Handbuch," Leipzig, 1881, Bd. v. Th. 1. 
4 The details of this method are described by Chischin, Inaug. Diss., St. Petersburg, 1894. 
5 Kytinanov, Internal. Monatschr. f. Anat. v. Physiol., Leipzig, 1896, vol. xiii. p. 402. 
u Trans. Hoy. Soc. Edin., 1870, vol. xxvi. 
