BILIARY, PANCREATIC AND DUODENAL STUDIES

Among the latest and most important observations on the hydrogen ion concentration of the human duodenum are those made by Hume, Dennis, Silverman and Irwin. 1 Their subject was a colored man who had suffered a gunshot wound, the cause of which was unknown, and from which a duodenal fistula resulted. Their conclusions were that, "Electrometric determination of the hydrogen ion concentration of the human duodenum made by the insertion of an electrode through a fistulous opening gave a maximum p H 8.23 and a minimum p H 5.91; while the average calculated from 182 readings was p H 7.02. No definite difference in reaction was noted in observations made after the ingestion of meals consisting of fat, carbohydrate or protein." McClure, Montague and Campbell, 2 having obtained their material in a more customary manner, i. e., via a duodenal tube, secured results comparable to those of the aforementioned writers. Their material was obtained from