io8 
Analysis  of  the  Gastric  Contents.  {A 
These  results  differ  considerably  from  those  of  Boas  and  from  the 
statements  of  the  other  writers  upon  the  subject. 
They  increase  the  limits  of  the  normal  variation  and  definitely 
contradict  the  conclusion  that  a  total  quantity,  or  even  a  total  filtrate 
of  the  gastric  contents  of  over  100  c.c.  is  indicative  or  suggestive 
of  some  pathological  condition. 
In  regard  to  the  condition  of  carbohydrate  digestion  in  the  nor- 
mal stomach,  the  conclusion  given  by  Ewald  in  his  text-book  is 
confirmed  or  acquiesced  in,  in  practically  all  the  text-books  upon 
the  subject.81  Ewald's  conclusion  is  that  in  the  filtrate  of  the  gastric 
contents  expressed  one  hour  after  the  Ewald  test  breakfast  from  the 
normal  stomach,  the  starch  is  all  transformed  to  achrodextrin.  The 
presence  of  a  blue  color  with  the  iodine  test  (starch)  or  a  purple 
color  (erethrodextrin),  he  considers  indicative  of  hyperacidity  ot  the 
contents. 
In  the  fifty  cases  which  I  investigated,  starch  was  present  in  the 
filtrate  in  six  cases,  erethrodextrin  in  fifteen  cases,  achrodextrin  in 
twenty-seven  cases. 
The  evidence  of  these  results  warrants  the  conclusion  that  ere- 
throdextrin, or  even  starch,  may  be  present  in  the  filtrate  of  the  con- 
tents of  the  normal  stomach  one  hour  after  the  Ewald  test  breakfast. 
In  regard  to  the  qualitative  results  for  free  hydrochloric  and  for 
organic  acids,  all  authors  are  in  agreement. 
In  regard  to  the  quantitative  results  there  is  practical  agreement. 
Thus  for  total  acidity  we  get  the  following  set  of  figures  : 
For  the  test  of  digestive  capacity  with  egg  albumin  Jaworski 
found  that  5  milligrammes  of  coagulated  egg  albumin  dissolved  in 
TOTAL  ACIDITY. 
Ewald81  -  -  . 
Leo78  .  .  .  . 
Friedenwald82 
Hewes  .... 
1*30  to  2 '40 
0*73  to  2*19 
1*40  to  2*29 
1-50  to  3-00 
for  total  free  hydrochloric  acid. 
Mintz83  .  .  .  . 
Friedenwald8  2  . 
Hewes  
0*50  to  i-oo 
1 '39  to  I75 
o-io  to  1*90 
81  Ewald  :  Klinik  der  Verdauungskrankheiten,  1891,  s.  51. 
82  Friedenwald  :  Medical  News,  June  22,  1895. 
83  Mintz  :  Wiener  klin.  IVock.,  Bd.  XX,  1889.  Bd.  IX,  1891. 
