Relation of Nutrition to Gastric Function. I. An Experimental Method

Abstract

We have developed an experimental procedure for studying the relation of nutrition to gastric function with the rat as the subject. Tentatively, we are determining the total acidity, the free HCl, and the mucin of gastric juice as a measure of gastric function. By “mucin” we mean that material which is precipitated by adding 4 volumes of alcohol to gastric juice and is determined as glucose by the orcinol method of Tilmans and Philippi.1 Later we plan to study the enzyme and other constituents of the gastric juice.As gastric stimulants we have used mecholyl (acetyl-β-methylcholine chloride) and histamine. The dosage used per kilo of body weight was 0.01 mg for mecholyl and 0.03 mg of ergamine phosphate for histamine. Each stimulant was dissolved in physiological saline and injected subcutaneously.Our experimental procedure is as follows: Rats are placed in individual false-bottom cages and fasted for 48 or 72 hours. A meshed-wire jacket is placed upon the torso of each rat during the fasting period to pre...