Fate of Food Introduced Directly into the Fetal Stomach.

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Abstract
73 rat fetuses with placental circula-tion kept intact were subjected to laparotomy with direct introduction of food into the stomach and subsequent return to the maternal abdominal cavity for varying periods of time. 48 lived to autopsy near term. One series received 0.01-0.1 ml. of bovine or human milk by injn. into the exposed stomach, the body wall then being sutured. Solid curds were found 2 1/2-7 hrs. after injn. and flocculent ones later, especially at the pars pylorica. Curds remained in the stomach up to 53 hrs. Ligation of the fetal esophagus did not influence the results. Stomachs of similarly injd. Caesarian newborns formed curds after 2 hrs. and still retained them at 30 hrs. Stomachs of normal newborns allowed to nurse contained curds 27 hrs. after removal from the mother. In another dietary series, raw beef of venison (1 to 3. 5 mg.) was introduced through a minute perforation of the stomach. Muscle fibers were recognizable as late as 53 hrs. A 3d series received 0.01-0.05 ml. of uncooked 10% corn starch. Microscopically, iodine tests of gastric and intestinal contents were positive 27 hrs. postoperatively in one fetus, negative in the remainder at 27- 49 hrs. The data show that the fetal stomach empties more slowly than might be anticipated, and suggest that the fetus has the ability to digest in part such introduced foods as milk and starch. The ability to digest meat is less well developed or absent.

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