INTUBATION STUDIES OF THE HUMAN SMALL INTESTINE. IV. CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INTESTINAL CONTENTS IN THE FASTING STATE AND AS INFLUENCED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OF ACIDS, OF ALKALIES AND OF WATER 1

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Abstract
A chem. examination of intestinal contents was made with the aid of the Miller and Abbott intestinal tube and technique. Collections were made from various parts of the small intestine, representing the contents coming down the tract, which was blocked below the point of collection by means of a rubber balloon. In the fasting fluid the reaction ranged from pH 2.64 to 7.8, the bicarbonate from 1.3 to 45.5 m. eq. per liter, the chloride from 50.6 to 150.6 m. eq. The osmotic pressure was either hypotonic or isotonic with blood plasma. The rate of flow was very variable but flow was less than Ice. per min. in half of the cases. Rapid evacuation of acid stomach contents caused the contents of the upper small intestine to be relatively acid and hypotonic with blood plasma. Equilibrium tended to be established by the time the contents reached the ileum, producing approximate neutrality and iso-tonicity. isotonic HCl (0.16N) tended to remain in the stomach and be neutralized as evacuated; dilute HNaCO3 left the stomach very rapidly, rendering the intestinal contents alkaline. Water in 400cc. quantities left the fasting stomach rapidly, rendering the intestinal contents hypotonic.

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