Chinese Journal of Physiology

52 H.C. HOU anp R. K.S. LIM

the variation in the meal response for the lowest records were found in January and February, while in dogs 626 and 686, the maximum response to meals occurred in mid-winter. The animal died on August 20, 1927, having survived the transplantation of the pouch 358 days. At autopsy the pouch was surrounded by omentum and abundant new anastomotic vessels were present. The arterial anastomosis was patent but the vein had long been thrombosed and obliterated at the peripheral end (fig. 12). The pouch itself was in excellent condition. Pneumonia and multiple abscesses of the intestine were the cause of death.

In all four animals with gastric auto-transplants, new circulatory channels had established themselves. It is not unlikely that nerves accompanied the newly developed vessels, but it is extremely questionable whether they found their way to the gland cells or to the appropriate enteric reflex centres. The experience of others on the vago-sympathetic (Schafer, 19; Burlage, 8) certainly do not suggest that a successful functional regeneration of severed and particularly un-aligned autonomic nerves is to be expected, while Rabinkova (17) states that she could find no regeneration 1 year and 54 days after suturing the cut vagi. We are therefore inclined to view the improvement in secretory response which occurred as time went on as the result of a regenerated circulation rather than a recovery of nerve control.

The question of secretory tone and reactivity.

The changes observed on severing the enteric connexions are of interest chiefly because they show a diminution of the basal secretion without any significant alteration in the ability of the stomach to respond to meals (hereafter referred to as secretory reactivity). On the other hand, section of the sympathetics, and particularly the behaviour of the completely denervated pouches demonstrate a wide variability in reactivity but no characteristic change in the basal secretory rate. That the state of the basal secretion and secretory reactivity are independent of each other when meal stimulation is employed is clearly evident in dog 568. The basal rate in this animal during the months of March, June and July was 0.6 mg HCl per hour, but the response to meals during these months was 1.4, 4.4 and 12.0, Hence we can hardly speak of a basal secretory tone, for the state of the basal secretion does not predetermine the size of the response (to meals), It must be pointed out that a difference must be made between a direct stimulus (e.g., injection of histamine) and an indirect stimulus