The causes and treatment of imperfect digestion / by Arthur Leared.

  • Arthur Leared
Date:
1860-
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The causes and treatment of imperfect digestion / by Arthur Leared. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    of manna stuck on the point of a long reedle into butyric acid, either pure or diluted. The pill -was then carried by means of the needle to the back of the tongue, without touching the interior of the mouth, and swallowed. The taste and sensation produced in the oesophagus were pronounced in every instance to be identical with those of ordi- nary heartbiu-n, but varying in degree according to the strength of the acid; and in the case of one of the gentlemen, the sensation extended to the cardia. Moreover, as in heartburn itself, a small quantity of alkali at once gave relief. My explanation of the production of heartburn, founded on the preceding observations, is as fol- lows :—In certain weak conditions of digestion, or when it is overtaxed, butyric acid is set fi-ee from food in which it existed, or else it is formed out of the elements of starchy food, as is well known to be possible. The acid being in excess, but not pure, or else it would be soluble, rises to the sur- face of the contents of the stomach, where it pro- bably combines with melted fat, with which it is so miscible] that it appears to possess an affinity; when, by the motions of the stomach, presented at the cardia, the acrid mixture is instinctively rejected into the ossophagus, and is then by a reversal of its proper movements transmitted to the mouth, accom- panied by the sensations of heartburn. The misci- bility of fat with butyric acid will explain tlie relief of heartburn by cod-liver oil. It acts by diluting the acid.
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