The volume and acidity of the gastric contents in the unfed newborn infant.

The acidity of the gastric contents in the unfed newborn infant was first investigated by Szydlowski (1892a and b). He recorded the presence of free hydrochloric acid. Hess (1913) found free hydrochloric acid in varying amounts in 54 out of 55 infants, and recorded unexpectedly high values. Pollitzer (1921) made similar observations on 100 infants. The pH of the gastric contents was estimated first by Tangl (1906) whose observations ranged from 1 3 to 1I8. Griswold and Shohl (1925) recorded a pH range of 1 7 to 4 4. Ritter (1941) found thepH varied from 1 3 to 4 6, and noted the absence of free hydrochloric acid in four out of 36 infants. Miller (1941) also observed the occurrence of achlorhydria and stated that the incidence of achlorhydria diminished with increasing birth weight. No worker has as yet submitted his observations on achlorhydria and the volume of the free hydrochloric acid in relation to birth weight to a proper statistical test. For this reason it was thought desirable to undertake a new investigation into the incidence of achlorhydria and the free acidity in the newborn.