In order to find a satisfactory topical stimulus for the study of the physiology of gastric mucus

for the study of the physiology of gastric mucus secretion, numerous agents have been investigated in this laboratory (9, 10, 11). Gentle massage, aqueous ether (saturated), 5 per cent aqueous clove oil emulsion, 50 per cent ethyl alcohol, dis tilled water, isotonic and hypertonic NaCl, and @ to 5 per cent aqueous eugenol emulsions were all found to induce desquamation of the surface epithelium in addition to acting as mucigogues. The most effective of these mucus stimuli was 5 per cent eugenol, and this also produced huge amounts of desquamation. Since there is reason to believe that pure gastric mucus is cell-free (9), this