A study of the gastric residuum / by Theodore H. Morrison and W. Horsley Gantt.

  • Morrison, Theodore H., 1891-
Date:
[1924?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A study of the gastric residuum / by Theodore H. Morrison and W. Horsley Gantt. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    TABLE 2 ACIDITY OF EXAMINATIONS VOLUME RESIDUUM OF RE¬ SIDUUM Free HC1 Total acidity Case 1 cc. 1 52 54 58 2 46 42 46 3 54 48 50 Average. 50 48 51 Maximum variation ... 8 12 14 Minimum variation.... 6 6 4 Case 2 1 48 28 30 2 42 26 36 3 54 30 34 Average. 48 24 33 Maximum variation ... 12 4 6 Minimum variation.... 6 2 2 Case 3 1 28 18 26 2 34 22 ' 28 3 30 20 24 Average. 30 20 26 Maximum variation ... 6 4 4 Minimum variation.... 2 2 2 APPEARANCE OF THE RESIDUUM The appearance of the normal fast¬ ing contents varies; it is usually color¬ less or turbid, but it may also be greenish or yellow. The green and yellow coloration is due to biliary regurgitation, and may be absent at one examination and present at another in the same individual. When mucus is present, it has usually been swallowed, and floats upon the surface of the contents, and can easily be separated; differing in this respect from that observed in pathological conditions as will be noted later. On microscopic examination, the normal residuum presents cell nuclei in larger or smaller numbers, either free or arranged in clumps produced by the action of the digestive fluids upon the epithelial cells. In addition, nor¬ mal epithelial cells are noted, which are derived from the mouth, respira¬ tory tract, or the stomach itself. In cases of duodenal regurgitation round or cubical cells may frequently be ob¬ served and occasionally bile-stained columnar epithelium derived from the biliary tract may be seen. Leucocytes in small numbers are always seen in the fasting contents, but when present in large numbers they indicate disease. A frequent finding is the presence of • the spiral cells first described by Jaworski, which are actually produced by the precipitation of mucin by the hydrochloric acid of the gastric secre¬ tion. Bacteria of various types always occur in the fasting secretion, but are only found singly or grouped in small masses. Gross or microscopic food residues in the form of meat or vegetable fibers are never noted under normal condition. In our study of the residuum of various digestive disturbances the fasting contents were examined in 50 cases in which 2 were cases of chronic gastritis, 8 of cancer of the stomach, 10 of ulcer of the stomach and duo¬ denum, 12 of achylia gastrica, 4 of dilatation with pyloric stenosis, 5 of gastric neuroses including hypersecre¬ tion, 4 of chronic cholecystitis, 2 of secondary gastric disturbances due to pulmonary tuberculosis, and 3 of enteroptosis.