Variations in the Hydrochloric Acid of the Gastric Contents in Cases of Carcinoma in Man.

In the Proceedings of the Royal Society (Series B., Vol. 76, p. I38) Professor Moore published a series of observations which he, together with Messrs. Alexander, Kelly and Roaf, had made on the gastric contents of patients who were suffering from carcinoma situated in various parts of the body. As the result of these observations they came to the conclusion that the well known absence of free HCI in Carcinoma Ventriculi was due to the presence of Carcinoma in the body rather than to its presence in the stomach itself, for they found that the free HCI was very greatly diminished wherever the carcinoma might be situated in the body. Working on the same lines and using the same methods,2 except in a few small details, I have examined fourteen malignant cases and seven non-malignant cases; my results agree very closely with those obtained by Moore and his colleagues and are, I think, worthy of publication as further evidence in support of their conclusions.3 It will be seen in my deductions that the examination of non-malignant cases shows that the effect of diet and residence in a surgical ward considerably influences the gastric secretion and may be largely responsible for the diminution of free HCI in malignant cases.