Before beginning the starvation period, observations on the gastric hunger contractions of the writer were made every second or third day for three weeks. These observations were usually made in the morning after dispensing with breakfast, or else during the middle of the day, thus dispensing with lunch. No observations were made during night or sleep. These records are quite uniform in character, and represent the degree of hunger contractions exhibited by the writer's stomach 6 to 15 hours after a meal.

We now wish to direct the reader's attention to the following summary of the observations during the starvation period, from June 29 to July 4, 1914.

A. J. C.

June 29. No breakfast. First hunger period began gradually at 8:45 a.m., lasting for about 45 minutes; 16 strong contractions in 30 minutes. A second period ended at 11:30, lasting about 30 minutes. There were 22 strong contractions in 30 minutes.

Last meal. Two slices of toast and a glass of milk at 12:30 p.m. Body weight

74 kg-; no observations during the night.

June 30. a.m.

11:50 to 12:20, fairly strong contractions.

12:20 to 1:50, quiescence.

p.m.

1:50 to 2:30, 18 fairly strong contractions.

2:30 to 4:30, quiescence.

Interruption

9:15 to 10:00, 22 strong contractions.

10:00 to 11:10, fairly quiescent.

11:10 to 11:50, continuous feeble contractions.

11:50 to 12:30, 36 strong contractions.

July i. a.m.

12:30 to 12:40, quiescence.

12:40 to 1:20, continuous feeble contractions.

1:20 to 2:25, 45 strong contractions.

2:25 to 2:50, continuous feeble contractions.

2:50 to 3:30, 27 strong contractions.

3:30 to 4:00, quiescence.

4:00 to 4:30, continuous feeble contractions.

4:30 to 5:20, 26 strong contractions.

Interruption

8:45 to 9:55, 43 strong contractions.

10:20 to 12:20, contractions all the time, but feeble.

p.m.

12:20 to 1:00, 19 strong contractions.

Interruption

3:45 to 4:00, 20 fairly strong contractions.

Interruption

8:3s to 9:25,37 strong contractions.

9:25 to 11:20, continuous, fairly strong contractions.

11:20 to 12:25, 47 very strong contractions.

July 2. a.m.

12:25 to 12:50, fairly quiescent.

12:50 to 2:35, continuous*, fairly strong contractions (60).

2:3 5 to 3:30, fairly quiescent.

3:30 to 4:50,70 strong contractions, ending in tetanus

(4 min.).

Interruption

6:30 to 7:40, quiescence.

7:40 to 8:40, 33 strong contractions.

Interruption

10:25 to 11:15, 29 strong contractions.

Interruption

p.m.

1:00 to 3:00, continuous, fairly strong contractions, stronger

toward the end.

Interruption

July 2. P.M.

8:45 to 9:00, 22 strong contractions.

9:00 to 9:50, continuous feeble contractions.

9:50 to 10:30, 27 strong contractions. 10:30 to 11:30, continuous, fairly strong contractions. 11:30 to 12:30, 34 strong contractions.

July 3. A.M.

12:30 to 2:25, continuous, fairly strong contractions. 2:25 to 3:40, 60 strong contractions, ending in incomplete tetanus (5 min.). 3:40 to 4:05, continuous feeble contractions. 4:05 to 5:00, 42 strong contractions. Interruption

8:30 to 9:25, 30 strong (not maximum) contractions. 11:25 to 1:00, continuous, fairly strong contractions.

1:00 to 1:40, 30 strong contractions. Interruption

4:45 to 5:15, continuous feeble contractions.

9:00 10 9:45,38 strong contractions.

9:45 to 11:20, continuous feeble contractions. 11:20 to 12:10, 39 strong contractions.

July 4. A.M.

12:10 to 1:10, continuous feeble contractions. 1:10 to 2:35, 60 strong contractions. 2:35 to 3:40, fairly quiescent. 3:40 to 5:40, 50 strong contractions.

End of experiment: Body weight, 69.8 kg. Loss of body weight, 4.2 kg.

Confining our attention for the present to the objective phenomena, i.e., the gastric tonus and the hunger contractions, we find the following facts to be apparent:

1. There is no decrease in the gastric tonus and the hunger contractions, but, on the contrary, an increase, especially in the tonus, and in the frequency of the hunger periods. An increase in the intensity of the hunger contractions is also evidenced in the appearance of the incomplete hunger tetanus on the fourth and fifth days of starvation.

2. There was a continuous but probably scanty secretion of gastric juice during the entire hunger period, as the balloon on being withdrawn from the stomach always tasted acid and gave the acid reactions.

The five days' hunger period of Mr. J. H. L. began on July 14 and was concluded on July 19. During July 10 to 14 daily observations were made of the gastric hunger contractions, in order to establish the normal frequency and general character of these contractions in Mr. L. The periods of hunger contractions of Mr. L. under normal conditions of eating differ from those of the writer by usually ending in the incomplete tetanus previously described in Mr. V. This is probably due to the fact that Mr. L. is sixteen years younger than the writer.

Summary Of The Observations On Mr. J. H. L. Control Period

July 10. No breakfast or lunch; 1:30 to 4:25 p.m., period of observation; 2:00 to 2:40 p.m., gradually increasing contractions ending in 11 strong contractions and strong tetanus (3J min.). Feeble rapid contractions began to reappear at 3:15 and gradually increased in amplitude.

July 11. No breakfast; 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., continuous fairly strong contractions. Period of 15 strong contractions; 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 m., continuous fairly strong contractions (22 contractions).

July 12. No breakfast; 9:35 to 10:10 a.m., 22 contractions of gradually increasing strength in 30 minutes, ending in 3-minute incomplete tetanus.

July 13. No lunch; 12:00 to 12:30 p.m., continuous, fairly strong contractions. A small group (10) of strong contractions 12:30 to 12:45 PM- A period of strong contractions (22 gradually increasing ending in 3-minute tetanus) 1:50 to 2:30 p.m.

July 14. 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. No breakfast; 10:00 to 10:50 a.m., 31 gradually increasing strong contractions ending in tetanus (2 min.); 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 m., 14 fairly strong contractions, no tetanus; 12:30 to 1:00 p.m., 21 gradually increasing strong contractions ending in a 3-minute tetanus.

Fasting Period Last meal, July 14, 2:00 p.m. Body weight, 62.8 kg.

July 15. p.m.

7:45 to 8:25, 19 fairly strong contractions. 8:25 to 8:35, quiescence. 8:3 5 to 9:00, 28 fairly strong contractions. 9:00 to 9:15, quiescence.

9:15 to 9:45, period of 21 fairly strong contractions. 9:45 to 9:55, quiescence.

9:55 to 10:25, period of 21 fairly strong contractions. 10:25 to 11:00, period of 18 fairly strong contractions. 11:05 to 11:40, period of 17 fairly strong contractions. Interruption

Records Of The Contractions Of The Empty Stomach

Fig. 15.-I. Records of the contractions of the empty stomach of A.J. C. Bromoform manometer. A, final ten minutes of a typical period of hunger contractions ten hours after a meal; B, final after ten minutes of a typical hunger period after five days' starvation. Note in tracing B the prolonged period of incomplete tetanus at the culmination of the hunger period, and the reappearance of a feeble 20-seconds rhythm immediately following the cessation of the period of strong hunger contractions. Showing the increase in the tonus and the hunger contractions of the empty stomach during prolonged starvation. Four-ninths original size.

II. Typical record (10 minutes) of the hunger contractions of the stomach of dogs. A, after 8 days' starvation; B, after ten days' starvation; showing a persistence of the gastric hunger contractions during prolonged starvation. C, tracing showing end of a gastric hunger period of a dog after 6 days' starvation. The vagi and splanchnic nerves sectioned before the starvation period. About one-half original size.

July 16. a.m.

9:20 to 10:25, period of gradually increasing very strong contractions (33), ending in tetanus (2 min.). Interruption

p.m.

1:00 to 1:40, period of gradually increasing strong contractions (25), ending in tetanus (3 min.). Interruption 3:55 to 5:00, quiescence.

5:00 to 5:50, period of fairly strong contractions (17). No tetanus.

8:35 to 9:35, period of very strong contractions (37), ending in 3-minute tetanus. 9:35 to 10:20, quiescence.

10:20 to 11:20, continuous, fairly strong contractions. 11:20 to 11:30, fairly quiescent.

11:30 to 12:00, period of fairly strong contractions (11). No tetanus.

July 17. a.m.

12:00 to 12:40, continuous feeble contractions. 12:40 to 1:30, quiescence.

1:30 to 2:00, continuous feeble cont Tactions.

2:00 to 3:00, quiescence.

3:00 to 5:30, continuous feeble to fairly strong contractions. Interruption

0:30 to 10:10, period of very strong, gradually increasing contractions (36), ending in tetanus of 2J minutes. Interruption

p.m.

12:15 to 3:30, practically continuous, feeble to moderately strong and strong contractions. Interruption

8:40 to 10:00, continuous feeble to moderately strong contractions.

10:00 to 10:40, period of very strong, gradually increasing contractions (20), ending in tetanus (2 min.). 10:40 to 11:00, quiescence.

11:00 to 11:50, period of moderately strong contractions (23). No tetanus.

July 18. a.m.

11:50 to 2:30, mainly quiescent (occasional feeble contractions).

2:30 to 3:30, period of very strong, gradually increasing contractions (34). No tetanus.

3:30 to 4:00, fairly quiescent (occasional feeble contractions).

July 18. A.M.

4:00 to 5:00, period of strong, gradually increasing contractions (24), ending in tetanus (2} min.). 5:00 to 5:45, continuous feeble contractions. Interruption

9:20 to 10:10, period of fairly strong contractions (35). No tetanus.

10:10 to 11:15, fairly quiescent.

11:15 to 12:00, period of strong contractions (22). No tetanus. Interruption

P.M.

2:30 to 3:50, continuous, very feeble contractions. 3:50 to 4:05, period of 10 fairly strong contractions. 4:05 to 4:15, quiescence. 4:15 to 4:40, period of 13 strong contractions. 4:40 to 4:50, quiescence.

4:50 to 5:30, period of very strong contractions (22), ending in tetanus. Interruption

8:35 to 9:20, 32 strong contractions, practically continuous.

Strong tonus. 9:20 to 10:00, continuous feeble contractions. 10:00 to 10:50, 15 strong contractions (long drawn out). One tetanus period.

10:50 to 11:30, period of strong contractions (22), ending in very strong tetanus (3 min.).

11:30 to 12:40, fairly quiescent, but a few fairly strong contractions.

July 19. A.M.

12:40 to 1:25, period of very strong contractions (37). No tetanus.

1:25 to 1:45, quiescence.

1:45 to 2:15, period of fairly strong contractions (11). No tetanus.

2:15 to 2:30, quiescence.

2:30 to 3:10, period of very strong contractions (22), ending in a 3-minute tetanus. 3:10 to 4:00, continuous very feeble contractions. 4:15 to 6:00, continuous strong contractions (36), ending in tetanus (3 min.). (Long and irregular pauses evidently due to psychic inhibition, as Mr. L. was very restless.)

End of experiment: Body weight, 59 kg. Loss of body weight, 3.8 kg.

It is clear that the results on Mr. L. practically duplicate those on the writer. (1) There is no decrease, but, on the contrary, an increase in the gastric tonus and in the hunger contractions. (2) The stomach showed an acid reaction all the time during the hunger period, evidently due to a continuous but scanty secretion of gastric juice.