Physiological aspects of the liquor problem v. 1

alcohol directly into the stomach failed to provoke any reflex salivary flow in half an hour.

Turning now to the influence of alcoholic fluids upon the rate of flow and composition of the saliva in man, the accompanying experiments, by the method above indicated, may be cited (page 257). The first two (I and II) show the results obtained with successive portions of water; in the following ones a control experiment with water in each instance preceded the trial with the alcoholic fluid.

The alcoholic content of the fluids employed was as follows: brandy, forty-seven per cent. by volume; gin, fifty-one per cent.; sherry, twenty-one per cent.

From these figures it is seen that the results obtained with two successive portions of water scarcely differ from each other, the tendency, however, being towards decreased flow accompanied by decrease in dissolved material in the saliva. Interpreted in physiological terms, these results indicate that the second stimulation with water is, if anything, weaker than its predecessor. In decided contrast appear the results obtained with the alcoholic liquors. Here may be observed an increased flow of saliva, not pronounced, but accompanied by an increase in both organic and inorganic constituents. The effect is precisely analogous, both in composition and rate of flow, to that brought about by an increase in intensity of stimulation when the salivary glands are electrically excited through their nerves.1

The following diagram represents in graphic form the results given in the preceding table, i. e., (1) the relative rate of flow induced by water and by the alcoholic fluid; (2) the content of solid matter, together with the relative proportion of ash or inorganic matter and of organic matter as indicated by the loss on ignition.

1 Cf. Heidenhain, Archiv für die ges. Physiol., 1878, xvii. 7, and Hermann's Handbuch der Physiologie, v. 52.

Diagram illustrating the relative influence of alcoholic fluids on the rate of secretion and composition of human saliva.

The Influence of Alcoholic Liquors introduced directly into the Stomach.

In our experiments on the reflex stimulation of salivary flow, the attempt to produce a persistent secretion due to the presence of alcohol in the stomach was unsuccessful; nor have we been able to obtain evidence of an unusual flow of saliva under such circumstances in dogs with gastric fistula. It seemed desirable, however, to examine the possible direct influence of

alcoholic fluids on the salivary glands and the resulting secretion, when other factors were excluded as far as possible. In these experiments dogs from ten to eighteen kilos were used. Chloroform-ether mixture was employed to produce anæsthesia and was administered through a tracheal tube in part of the experiments, the danger of respiratory difficulties resulting from salivary flow induced in the glands as a result of the ether stimulation being thus avoided. In the later stages of the experiments the alcohol introduced usually sufficed to maintain the animal in perfect quiet. Fredericq has recommended the use of alcohol for producing narcosis in rabbits; it has been found quite satisfactory for this purpose in the dog, the effects passing off with relative rapidity.

A glass cannula, bent at the end, was tied in Wharton's duct (and occasionally a second cannula into the duct of the sublingual gland). The chordo-lingual nerve was ligatured and cut at some distance centrally to the point where the chorda tympani branches off to the glands. All secretion in the corre sponding gland was thus stopped, except during stimulation of the chorda, which was accomplished through raising the periph eral end of the cut nerve by the ligature and slipping hook electrodes under it. The interrupted current of a du Bois induction coil with a single element was used as the stimulus. Saliva was collected in small graduated cylinders. Alcohol was introduced into the stomach by making an incision through the linea alba, etc., and the fluid was injected directly into the organ thus exposed by means of a large needle-pointed syringe. By careful avoidance of the larger gastric vessels, bleeding was minimal. The general course of the experiments was as fol lows: A distance between the primary and secondary coil of the inductorium was selected, such as a preliminary trial showed to give a medium rate of flow. This stimulus was, so far as possible, kept constant throughout the experiment. The chords was repeatedly stimulated for periods of one minute, followed by pauses of two minutes, during which the nerve was kept covered. In this way sufficient quantities of saliva for analysis were collected. Before collecting a sample of saliva under any given conditions, the six or seven drops first discharged were thrown away, and thus the fluid stored up from previous stimu 1 Fredericq, Manipulations de physiologie, p. 19.

lation in the gland lumina, ducts, and cannula was avoided.1 After collecting two or three control samples, the fluid to be considered (usually warmed slightly) was injected into the stomach in the manner already described, and this was followed by a pause of five minutes. The pulse was observed at frequent intervals to detect any possible influence on the heart's action and consequent blood flow. The samples of saliva collected were analyzed in the manner already described. At the conclusion of the experiment the animal was killed by bleeding, and the condition of the glands, as well as of the stomach and other organs, examined. The protocols of three typical experiments are given below:

1, iii. 1897. Dog. Weight 14 kilos. Chloroform and ether administered through tracheal tube during part of the experiment. Distance of secondary coil 200 mm. Period of stimulation 1 min., followed by a pause of 2 min.

12.20

V 12.35

VI 12.55

1.15

80 c. c. 50 per cent. alcohol injected into stomach.

100 c. c. 50 per cent. alcohol injected into stomach.

1.04 0.69
0.99

0.59 0.40

0.076

VII 1.21

99.05 0.95 0.59

2.53

100 c. c. 50 per cent. alcohol injected into stomach.

0.034

Dog killed. Stomach mucosa normal in appearance. Urinary bladder and gall bladder greatly distended. Stomach contents = 450 c. c., faintly acid in reaction and containing 24.6 grams of alcohol. No food present.

1 Cf. Heidenhain, Hermann's Handbuch der Physiologie, v. 53; Langley

and Fletcher, Philosophical Transactions, 1889, clxxx. B. 112.

2 In this first period the distance of the secondary coil was 280 mm., but the stimulation was unsatisfactory.

22, iii. 1897. Bitch. Weight 10 kilos. Chloroform and ether administered during operation. Tracheotomy performed after operation. Distance of secondary coil = 240 mm. Period of stimulation = 1 min., followed by 2 min. pause.

Dog killed; stomach contents = 190 c. c.; claret color; mucosa not inflamed. Contents contained 13.1 grams of alcohol. The burgundy used contained 5.2 per cent of alcohol.

12, iv. 1897. Bitch. Weight 9 kilos. Chloroform and ether during operation. Distance of secondary coil 190 mm. Stimulation, 1 min., followed by a pause of 2 min.