INTUBATION STUDIES OF THE HUMAN SMALL INTESTINE. XXIII. A METHOD OF DETERMINING DIGESTIVE ACTIVITY IN ANY PORTION OF THE GASTRO-INTESTINAL TRACT, WITH SOME MEASUREMENTS OF PROTEIN DIGESTION IN THE STOMACH AND SMALL INTESTINE 12
A method was developed for measuring digestive activity at any level of the human gastro-intestinal tract. A specially devised apparatus containing a test food substance is introduced by intubation into the intestine. When it has reached the desired position, the test substance is exposed to the action of the intestinal juice. The digestion which occurs in a measured time can be detd. by appropriate analysis of the remaining portion of the test substance. The method has been adapted to a study of protein digestion, using pork heart muscle as the test material. The results indicated that substantial proteo-lytic activity occurs in the normal stomach, far less in the achlorhydric stomach. Throughout the normal small intestine the conc, of proteolytic enzymes is sufficiently high to affect a very considerable amt. of digestion, regardless of the point at, which the process begins, or whether a further supply of enzymes is available during the period of the test. The method should prove useful in studying clinical problems which involve abnormalities in digestion.